The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-04-17

Il me- every now and then Ike some NOSE uecp IN t
mountutn,-t the rnintng of an earthquake II nghi
br-and when looked al my watch and found that
although an hour aftr The hour Tor sunrise, no iigh
had reached u.s. il occurred 10 me lhnt the darkness
might be produced by the heavy clouds u smoke
from The crater.
The rain manifested no dis osition TO cease and,
weary Of orr comforticss position we determined ~
have our breakfast In spite of H. We cruwled on the
crust, yet hot Ihongh iolerable 10 feet, and find
ing spot where the heat from below stl kept the
rock red placed eggs upon IL 10 roas,, toasted
our bread and cracked the bottle Of Lacyma Christi
have eaten breakfast In more comfortable place
and under brighter auspices, but l never tased bet
ter eggs nor aie them with better appetite. II
win be long time before forget that meal by the
light Of the burning lava Vesuyius, OF Winters
morning, before day break and in heavy storm OF
wind and rain,
Al las, we determined that II would be as well TO
die by fire by water and attempted TO place the
two elements in opposition TO each other ana see II
fire would not dry faster than rain could wet Inc
heat was almost intolerable but plan succeeded 70
perfection. We placed ourselves by the side oil me
fety stream and ere long learned 10 nugh al the
Storm for although Il continued, our clothes afie9
rapidly. To be sure we were almost roasted, anu
once or twice, when the wind blew the smoke upon
us, 1t singcd our hair and eyebrows MY blouse
was burnt when | laid 1t for moment upon the rock
where had been standing, but II was dried AS
the day advanced, for day did come at last we sa.s
fed our curiosity by examining the spot from which
the lava flowed just above II was steep cone, yell
low with sulphur, containing three craiers, one
choked up but too hot remain In although we en-
tered ii; the others emitting blasts OF hot air, while
from one rose the sound of the roaring furnace.
Meanwhile the rain turned into snow, and while we
were crawling out OF an open ng In the mountain
too hot to hold u.s. and walking over surface,
which nearly burnt our shoes, heavy snow storm
was whitening the rocks and falling upon our heads
But we were at last obliged though unwilllngy, 10
leave so many delights and set ont TO descend INC
mountains by the side Of the burning river. Wehad
become familiar with the apparent danger and ran
OYER the crust, which sounded hollow beneath our
feet and upon which the rain Kissed as Il fell stepped
across the flood and picked up masses Of soft lava to
stamp with coin.
The current flowed large part OF the way beneath
thin crust, occasionally appearing again and then
retiring. Al one point we observed what seemed to
be new influx from the primary source, where
new current flowed in more liquid than the other
and so brilliant that il was impossible to look at II
steadily. After walking by its side some distance,
now scrambng over loose scori9. now walking upon
the smooth level rock, we came 10 portion where
the stream bore with il and On It's surface huge mas
of stone which rolled along and jostled one IN
other like something living, We thought OF Giving
rock and OF the fable OF Orphens. After Il moment
II occurred TO minds that we too might be borne
along like the lava, and stepping upon large mass
at the risk of burnt shoes md scorchod garments,
4 for four or Eve minutes rode down The mountain
as no Emperor had ever done but IL was not meth
/ cd Of conveyance that one could enjoy for long
time, and when il grew too hot and our carriage be-
gan 10 threaten overtir11 upon Stmelhin9 worse
| than n suow-bnnk, we Jumped OIL.
! The scene became more and more majestic as we
descended the current grew wider; The banks, so to
speak, became higher the descent more precipitous,
till the stream Of Java with which we had made so
| familiar was now river twenty or even fifty feet
WIDE flowing between banks thirty feet high, bearing
huge masses Of rocks and scorm upon It's surface
and sending out heat intolerable at distance OF
| thirty or forty feet The banks also were hot and
at last much that were forced to leave them.
| At one point the spectacle was most striking. A
new branch united with the one we had followed and
formed at the confluence Lawn cascade some twelve
feet in height The molten still preserved It's
slow and majestic motion but bent with graceful
curve over the slope. We could perceive the line Of
the stream marked by ascending smoke far down the
mountain and into the valley but we had seen the
most interesting portion of 1t and were glad to relieve
our burnt and weary feet by stepping upon the sand
and continuing our walk among the vineyards upon
which the lava here and there inruded.
We lunched at peasants hut upon n cake of In.
dian meal seasoned with draft OF Vesuvian wine,
and after few miles more among fields green with
the springing wheat were glad TO terminate
curson at the Railway station near pompeil. am
told that for many years no eruption of lava has
Cured SO extensive as This, and after my experience
| its extern, can well believe 1t. remain Your
obedIent sarv';, @. 9, ~.