The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-02-12

little landscapes, the bright green nooks that
orencd here and there. Our temperamcnts
were still too northern. We were not yet
sooihed 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 a zig gag road commenced, and
up We went, turning round ever and anon
10 view the expanding bay, softcncd down
into apparent calm by distance. Green sul-
lies and ravires of lava began now to be in
terminged but tranquil observation was
soon interrupted by tremendous gusts of
wind that caifie roaing down the sides Of
the mountain, and enveloped us in whirl-
winds of dust, sometimes mingled with peb-
bles, at every turn Of the road. ltwas bard
work to get on, and we were glad enough to
reach the Hermitage AMI Observatory, where
we tossed oil a glass of Ldchryma Christi to
restore is.
The rest of the road was along n narrow
ridge leading to the foot OF the great black
cone. On either side were gullics Of green,
and beyond great red fields Of lava. 1t was
not remarkably safe in riding, and by no
means commodous. Sometimes ones nose
touched the horses or ass's neck sometimes
the back Of ones head was whisked by the
tail 1t was a sort of rocking horse motion.
But we arrived safe at the dismouhting place
and, must contcss, looked rather dsniated
at the desperately steep cone up which we
! were bound to scramble. But in travelling
on, on is the word SO on we went siumb>
ling up through the trituratcd and black lava
as if Fame or something else equally valua
bic, had been at the summit. Mrs. jenkins
was in an open palanquin, borne by eight
men, who grunted, staggered, crawled up or
slid back, shouted, laughed, and belLbored
one another with their climbing poles, whilst
the undauned lady sat as cooly as in her
drawins-room at home making observations
on the scenery, which we could scarcely
hear, and were too brealhlcss 10 answer.
III doOuA dN hOui VIC htditu tht ohii'ihi
aud got under vast canopy of suIphurous
smoke which, blown by the furious wind,
rolled grim and black over the scattered
edge, stretched its impenelrablc mass be,wixt
us and the sky and then swooped down to-
wards the bay, and dispersed in a vast mist.
Most parts of the plain, too, we're covered
] with i,tv ,,ronnG Il N s,ohs
as we paused and looked back before the last
effort. The whole sweep of the bay was Wis
ibe from Sorrento 20 Baia, together with the
islands, scattered like giant sen,incls at the
mouth but all looked Strange aud fantastic
through the suIrhurous vapor. The sun was
setting in bath Of blood and gold. just be.
hind straight line of ebony clouds with q
sharp rim, like wall of black ma, Bile. The
white houses or the slopes of Castel Mare
were already looking ghastly in the twilight
Our temples throbbed with fatigue, bu
the guide cried Forward, and we soon came
t. the most disagreeable part of the business
The smoke was forced by the win,l in kline
of cascade some fifty yards down the decliv,
liy, and as soon as we got into it an awfu
sense Of suilocatiou came on. The puid,
swore, and some of us talked of retreatinr
But the majority were for persevering; and
painting and coughing, we dashed upwards
reached the summit, so; into the midst of
| fearful torrent of black smoke, like tha
col, IL, e,
staggered eiddily about seeking which wa,
to 90. At this moment slight form glance,
toward us, said a few words to the guide ,an,
. presently we were running 10 the left alon,
black and dizzy precipces. until suddenl
/ we emerged from the volcanic vapor, an,
/ were in full view at the same time of tn
. suvius.
The girl whose acquaintance | had mad
e in so strange manner had come 10 the as
] sistance of the guide, and told him what di
Y rcction to take in order soonest to escap
a from the smoke. lspoke TO her, but althC
n she recognized me think, she did not, o
!. would not, remember our former interview
II The idea suggested Itself that she was touch
y ed in her intellect, so | made no farther al
/ luson TO the subject. 1t was evident th
A guide knew her, and had confidence in hei
+ lie asked her advice about the path whic
e it would be advisable to follow, aud oLey q
| her directions implicitly. "Who is that ?
g whispered. alt is Ghita, the Volcano
girl" he replied in English, before repeaiin
v the Italian name. which might be translated
4 the " Daughter of the Volcano" had n
T. time for further enquiries. We were ono
g more in motion, and had enough to do I
O keep our footing on the rough lava in tn
d teeth Of as furious blast as ever remembe
A encountcring. 1t would have been DANCE
v Gus to stand even near precipice.
:. 1t was marvellous scene, the vast, blac
. valley, with its lake of Ere al the bottom
n its cone of fire on one hand. The discharg,
!. were constant, and had something appallin
, in their sound. We were almost too muc
exriicd for observation Now we look ed
Is the cone of green and gold that sank an
c rose, faded and frightened, smoked or hau
,. ed; then at the strong mountains of lava
A then at the burning fissures that yawned I
round. There were yet some remnants {
Al day-a gloomy twilight at last revealed III
!. jagged rim of the valley. Down we wei
down, down to the very edgS of the boilin
!. caudron Of melted lava, that rolled its hug
,. waves towards the black shore, waves who:
= foam and spray were fire and flame