Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-11-27
A VISIT TO MOUNT yEsUvIUs.


coRREsPoSDEScE OF THE BosToS ATLAS.
MouST VEsUvIUs, AuGusr Is ls47.
shall omit the description Of other excursions and describe
my visit at midnight to the summit of Mount vesuvus Step
ping Of the acres on the stand at six
o'clock the last evening was at Naples was on my way
alone for Resna the foot Of the mountain five miles from
the city. The ride along the Shores through the pretty SUI
burbs with the setting the waters of the bay the APP
proach OF darkness and the development of the stream of
lava down the mountain sight In an hour was
seated on pony, attended by guide, also mounted, and
having large torch These guides and animals are at the
station always ready and there tariff Of prices for them
They under the direction Of the police who maintain
watch along the route half way up the ascent The
the hermitage circuous one and required nearly
three hours From thence beautiful view is had of the Bay
and CITY Of Naples and the lava and bechngs of Gin
de redhot stones, and lava few minutes from the
crater The stream, which few days since had several
branches merged together, about mile long and
three four rods wide and lost itself level space the
side where it collected and cooled The crater
which regular the top Of the mountain was sprin
ked with yriads Of red hot pieces from the belchngs which
sho, up from the crater in nearly perpendicular lne to
great height then falling the edge Of the and rolling
down the sides
Having assembled few minutes above the hermitage nj the
termination Of the path, and far IT practicable for
horse to CO. animals ted and then the
diicuh ascent made. The whole mountain, rising
steep above for mile Of volcanic NATTER thrown
up by different eupons and composed Of beds Of rocks lava
and cnder and beside and between these beds nothing but
ds'es, winch u OF black sandy substance III
possible to ascend the rugged beds Of rocks and equally
50 TO up the sand where you cannot keep your foot
hold The % along the edge of lava, keeping your
iootho IN the sand much possible by holding the
rocky edge but then slipped al every STEP and lost
iy halt we gained Iong in this manner, and stumbling ia
the uncertain light stopping every few moments to recruit
exhausted strength and recover BREATH arrived at eleven
O'Clock, at the summit have forgot to mention that there
are two attendants the beginning Of the ascent to assist by
ropes, the exhausted traveller but refused their offers
wishing to be outdone by guide. Resting lew moments
and wettng dry hroat started for the foot Of the
ter and cropping way and among the immense
Of lava, IN lees than half hour within reach the
red pieces Of lava which rolled down the crater Here
RED to view the showers above which seemed though they
would descend heads II fearful sight, and
every eruption the rumhng and within the
added much TO the In returning passed beds
Of lava yet quite hot which had been elected from the
only four days previous Having arrived at the brink the
descent was over bed Of sand and ashes unncumbcrcd with
single stone and it a novel aud rapid for, what
with The step and slide, every stride equal to six feet
they were so rapid from the impetus forward that il
easy matter 70 Keep equilibrium. Ten minutes brought
us 70 where we lett our horses mile in distance and which
had taken an hour Of so much labor 10 overcome.
henounns our nags, in due time at the station
where, having paid the score took my in the iacre
whcn had waited my reurn and in the solitude Of the early
morning was rapidly whited along the road TO Naples with
sun JOINTS and aching lnUs glad had been, and not wishing
10 20 again.