New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-01-25


An excursion had been proposed to Vesuvius !;
and we started at three in the afternoon-myselt
four Americans with Mr. jenkins and his VILE
and all crowded into what, | believe, Is called
coTr1colo. The sea, along the brink OF which we
went was still stormy and the waves washed
with slusbng noise up into the very street. The
drive was beautiful to Portici, the white houses
and vine -wreathed portcoes of which | noticed
with pleasure. At Portici, after some wrsnging
in the house Of the guide, we were transferred TO
| horses and donkeys and olive went, hrstup hot
| lane between stone-wals, then along tine paved
road. The party was merry, and not unpictu-
rescue, but out of character with the scene. Not
one Of us was subdued by the tranquil beauty of
the little landscapes, the bright green hooks that
opened here and there. Our temperaments were
still too northern. Wewere not yet soothed down
by the sunny sky and balmy air of Italy and got
stared at in consequence with cOntemptuOus
curiosity by the languid peasants in the fields.
At length zig gag road commenced, and up we
went, turning round ever and anon TO view the
expanding bay, softened down into apparent calm
by distance Green gullies and ravines of lava
began now to be interminged but tranquil OBJ
servation was soon interrupted by tremendous
gusts of wind that came roaring down the sides OF
| the mountain and enveloped US in whrlwinds OF
dust, sometimes mingled with pebbles at every
| turn Of the road. 1t was hard work to get on
and we were glad enough to reach the Hermitage
and Observatory, where we tossed off glass Of
! Lachrlna Christi TO restore US.
The rest of the road was along narrow ridge
! leading to the foot of the great black cone. On
either side were gulies of green and beyond great
| red fields Of lava. 1t was not remarkably sale
| riding and by no means commodious. Sometimes
! ones nose touched the horse or ASS neck some
! times the back of ones head was whisked by the
| tail 1t was a sort of rocking horse motion But
! we arrived safe at the dismounting place; and, l
must confess looked rather dismayed at the des-
perately steep cone up which we we bound to
scramble But it travelling, on, on, is the word;
so on we went, stumbling up through the trturat-
ed and block lava, as if Fame, or something else
equally valuable, had been at the summit. Mrs.
| Jenkins was in open palanquin, borne by eight
men, who graduated, staggered, crawled up or
sided back, shouted, laughed, and beabcred one
another with their climbng-poles, while the I'M
daunted lady sat as coolly in her drawing room
at home, making observations on the scenery,
which could scarcely hear, andwere too breath
less TO answer
In about an hour we neared the summit, and got
under vast canopy of sulphurous smoke, which,
blown by the furious wind, rolled grim and black
over the serrated EDGE stretched its lmpenetrable
mass betwixt us and the sky, and then swooped
down toward the bay, and dispersedln avast mist
Most parts Of the plain, too, were covered with
low ground.fog 1t was grand sight as we paus-
ed and looked back before the last effort The
whole sweep of the bay was visible from Sorrento
to B ala, together with the islands, scattered like
giant sentinels at the mouth but all looked
strange and fantastic through the sulphurous va
por. The sun setting in bath OF blood and
gold lust behind straight line Of ebony clouds
with sharp rim, like wall of black marble. The
! white houses on the slopes OF Castel Mare were
already looking CHASTITY in the twilight
Our temples throbbed with fatigue but the
guide cried Forward, and we soon came to the
| most disagreeabe part of the business The smoke
was forced by the wind in a kind of cascade some
fifty yards down the declivity, and as soon as we
got into it an awful sense OF suifocaton came on.
l. nj If ne foil adO f
ing But the majority were forpersevering and,
painting and coughing, we dashed upward, reach
ed the summit got into the midst OF fearful tor
rent of black smoke, like that which is vomited
by steamers funnel, and staggered giddily about
seeking which, way to go. At this moment
slight form glanced to ard u.s. said a few words
TO the guide, and presently we were running to
the left along black and dizzy precpces, until
suddenly we emerged from the vlcanic vapor,
and were in full view at the same time OF the
plain and the sea, and OF all the wonders OF Vesu-
vus.
The girl whose acquaintance had made In so
strange manner had come to the assistance otthe
guide and told him what direction TO take In order
soonestto escape from the smoke. spoke TO her;
but although she recognised me think she did
not or would not remember our former interview.
The idea suggested itself that she was touched IN
her intellect SO | made no further aluslon TO the
subject 1t wss evident the guide knew her, and
had confidence ia her. lie asked her advice about
the path which it woud be advisable TO follow
and obeyed her directions implicitly. w no Is
that 2 / whispered 1t is Ghita, the Volcano
girl he replied ia English, before repeating the
Italian name. which might be translated the
Daughter Of the Volcano Ihad no time for
further INQUIRIES. We were once more in motion,
and had enough to do to keep our footing on the
rough lava in the teeth Ot as furious blast as
ever remember encounterlng IL would nave
been danger % stand even near preclplce'
Ii was marvellous scene that vast black val
lev with it's lake of fire 1T bOttOm-its cone oil hre
on one hand. The discharges were constant, ana
had something appalling in their sound we
were almost too much excited tor observation;
Now we looked at the cone OF green and gold
that sank and rose, faded and frightened, smoked
or famed; then at the seething lake; then at the
strong mountains of lava; then at the burning
fssures that yawned around There were yet
some remnants of day-a gloomy twilight at ieast
revealed the Jagged rim OF the valley Down we
went-down down to the very edge OF the boil
ing caldron of melted lava that rolled its huge
waves toward the black shore, waves whose foam
| and snray were fire and flannel An eruption evil
IDENTITY was preparing and soon indeed took place.
| We missed the sight but what we now saw was
! grand enough A troop OF heavy black clouds
was burrying athwart the sky, showing the stars
ever and anon between like a swarm OF golden
! bees The wind roared and beloved among the
layagulIies while the cone discharged its blocks OF
| burning lava or its showers OF red sparks with
! boom like that of park OF artillery ,
| A thousand travellers may witness ana oescrloe
the scene but it can never be hackneyed or val
gar The Volcano Girl, evidently familiar with
every changing aspect, crePt to my SIDE as stooa
| Rpart wrapt in silent admiration and wonder ana
Icauebt her examining the expression Of my face
as it was revealed by the dismal glare OF the burn
ing lake. E bellissima!' she whispered in a
husky voice, pressing close to my side, and trem'
bling like leaf, not with present lear OUT mani AM
! testify in memory of some dreadful event. We
were friends from that moment and she constl-
tuted herself my especial guide, running before
me to choose the surest paths giving me her del
cate little hand, and showing, in fact, all possible
willingness to make up our little quarrel II she