The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-05-15
A VISIT TO POMPEII.

The public have had no recent description
If Pompcii. The following letter from Mr.
Weed editor of the Albany Evening Jour
lal who is now travelling in Italy, shows the (
progress of the excavations and will be found
interesting:
NAPLES, Feb. 90, 1872
The day chosen for our visit to the long
buried city of Pompcii proved auspicious.-
We had the benefit of a bright sun and balmy
TO US it was day of deep ab-
sorbing interest. We fingered for SIX hours
about the now solitary edifccs and silent
streets which, two thousand years ago tecm-
ed with dense population.
1t is twelve miles from Naples to rompeii,
the road runs along the Bay shore at the foot
of Vesuvius for ten miles, and then turns to
the southeast through valley and near the
river Sarno, which is supposed to have been
its ancient boundary, though there is now a
fertile valley mile in extent between the
city and the river In goin. to Pompcii YOU
pass through Portici aud Term del Greco,
towns that have been built upon lava founda-
tionS. and are sure to be DESTROYED when We
suvius discharges itself in this direction; and
vet the inhabitants live on as little concerned
as we are with the idea that the world is, at
some future period, to be DESTROYED by fire
an idea by by the way which finds strong cor
roborative evidence that internal fires are
renlng mountains and uphcaving seas
throughout a region hundreds of miles in ex-
tent
The ancient city of Pompcii is plainly in
dicated 10y ridge or mound extending from
the base of Neslvius to its excavated ampi-
theatre which is situated at its eastern ex-
tremity. Not much, ii any more than one
third OF, the city has been excavated and
most of this was done hv the French, though
the work has been progressing moderately
under the Neapolitan Government. The
task is hcrculcan, for the city lies buried un-
der volcanic earth from ten to twelve feet
deep, and as the roofs of the Luildings were
al! crushed, the apartments were OF course
filled with solid earth
Volcanic soil is very fertile The unexca
waited portions of Pompeii are highly cuItiva
t.l bat al, I.-
du,cs ,.undanty. i.xiciisl,e and H,anj.iu
VINEYARDS grow & bear luxurantlv. TheS,
vineyards give us the Lagrime, Christi an,
Falernian wines, which though most deliciou
are heating and fiery, as may well be infer
red from the nature of the soil which produc
es the grape.
There are about fifty laborers engaged nov
in excavations. We were allowed to use tn
pick but not to take away any of the spoil>
though like other visitors. we did obtain
few specimens, among which were fragment
of stucco and Etruscan ware. Whenever
Sovcrei on visits Naples the event is signal
lied by developing in his presence, the cor
tents of house, and these are givcn bv tn
King to his royal guest. Everything valua
ble found at Pompeii has been carefully pre-
served here in the Museum, to which, as we
as to Pompeii, strangers have free admission
The excavations display streets, institution
dwellings, shops, &C., in much more perfe,
condition than had supposed. These wcr
all satisfactorily Identified There is neithe
doubt nor ohscurty as to the Pantheon, til
Tribunal, the Temples of Iris, Bacchus, j,
piter, Hercules; the treatres, the.baths, ii
: houses of Diomcde, Panza &c. Not ONLY tt
walls of these buildings but their diffcrer
compartments, with, in some instances, ela1
crate fresco paintings, are seen, Entil
j streets have been cXcavated and rcnumbe
e ed. Wine and oil stores were identified |
: the lars, and other vessels in which these
t quids were kept, and which are still in u
: here, In large bake house in which IL
I. ovens are perfect, bread with the name of Il
n baker stamped on each loaf, was found
= Diomede'S wine vaults.the jars are still stan
5 IN" against the wall, close to which sever
e skeletons were found, one of which was su
: posed to be either the wife or daughter, fro
d the rich necklace, bracelet and ear rings tn
a adorned the person of the sufferer Ne
+ the gate of the city leaning to Herculaneu
r the skeleton of soldier who perishcd on d
= ty, with his armor on and his arm BY his sid
h was found. The scntrybox in which this s,
(. tier was found is perfect.
The ampitheatre was noble structure.
e The seats were cf marble Near the are
g are dens or cells in which the wild bea
70 with which the gladiators contend. were ca
t. ed. In enc of these the skeleton of a Ii
j was found. In this ampitheatre it is said II
y 10000 spectators could be seated.
n The streets We're paved with large stor
ID OF irregular size and shape, but with
$ surface, in which were cavities evldeE
caused by the wheels OF vehicles. The SIC
at walks are raised like ours, and handsome
To- paved wi'h pebbles an'' ac"Nn1 temple :