Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1852-05-06

from the editor ol that paper now in
Europe, describing his a, sent TO Mount
Vesuvius, accompanied by ladies Of his
Party:- ..
NAPLES, March H. 1852
Vesuvius, you know is the most prom
t1isHt feature Of the varied views that
Naples presents. We had been looking
nj its smoking crater, high above the
clouds, anxiously tor three weeks, in
tending to take advantage Of the most
favorable occasion 10 ascend. To many
this is an impossibility; to others, it is
dltiicult and even perilous; while TO
the youthful and athletic il is only AN
rxciung enterprise. All however. who
ascend, regard II as an achievement o!
which they are at liberty TO boast. Il
would have grleved me 10 have lelt Ma
pies without ascending Vesuvlus, and
rejoice 10 have seen this great wonder
oi the world but now thar II has been
achieved, no moderate sum of money
would tempt me. in company with la
dies for whose safety am responsible,
again to encounter lis pcrlls. Accidents
rarely occur, and this encourages 80
many TO venture but there is manifest
md imminent danger, especially to such
as trust themselves TO carriers, MS well
Rs those in delicate health who climb
up. Perhaps Il brief account of the pro-
cess will interest you.
We lett Naples IN a carriage at S. \.
NJ, which drove to IL town built upon
the Lava which overwhelmed llercuIu-
A
ride of Two hours brought us tn. ouph a
winding, steep but pleasant road to The
Hermitage, four miles from PortIci,
where we stopped 10 refresh. From
thence To the foot Of the Cone is ml!c
and hGli, by difficult aud narrow l,nss-
ss through anG over Lava. But the
ponies are way-wise and surc-iootod.-
To II who was now IN the saddle Tor
thc second lime IN her life, ,his seem. d
Il fearful undertaking, but che accom-
plished IL gallanly.
The ladies, when we started only r-
tended to 20 to the ioot 0l The cone. but
when there the temptations TO asc,ud
were irresistible. They cav Others go.
ing up aud returning. (ior Ian &c NJ
her had been waiting, like purst Ives, irr
fine day, and though il made the
head swim 10 look NJ persons up Ia the
clouds clinglng 10 an almost Icr,eudic-
ular mountain they resolved 10 loloH,
and immediately seated thcln.eives in
chairs lasled 10 poles. -Four men rais-
ok these poles TO their shoulders and
commenced the hsrcnt. IiayIug, as YOU
know, one disabled walking beam. /
also seated myself in IA char. The dis.
-, A
IL you mount directly instead OF winding
your way. The (ir.t thirty or forty ro. 8
a is through volcanic ciudrrs. aud easy
enough. ECu then reach The broken,
sharp scOrIa, much of which furnishes
an uncertain ioothoid. And here dis
covered and unexpected difficulty. The
carriers having been up with il larry
that preceded us, were so jaGcd and rx-
hausted that saw how impossible il
was To reach the summit III that way.
therefore alIgh,ed, and taking an avn
Of two OF them, lrudged upward, at the
hazard Oi doing myself lrrrparabIc inlu-
~. In the meantime the ladies, who
q were a Quartdr OF Il mile Ia advance,
were also in the haEds ui weary, pant
ing carriers, whose progress Was slow
and difficult Frequently, to prevent
them, ewes from falling backwards with
their burlhens, the carriers would drop
upon their knees and held on 10 The bro
ken SCOTIA until they gathered breath
and strength to struggle Oh. WAS inf
nltely relieved, therefore, when the la
dies disappeared, for then knew that
they We're safely up. Tie last quarter
of II mile was rendered easier by the
snow into which steps were made. The
ascent 10 usually accom- lished in three
quarters OF an hour, but IN consequence
OF the exhaustion Of our carriers, We
were an hour and quarter gong up.
But once up, we b'eathcd freely. aud
the view was so subIimeiy iutures ing
that VIC forgot our tolls aud perils.-
There was mild atmosphere and q
bright sun. We first glanced over the
broad hay, aud broader campagna.
which spread out under our iect. Large
towns in the distance, looked like a SIN.
llc mansion, or at most mansion
around winch out-houses clustered. .-.
The city of Naples, with lis 4OOO in
habltanls, seemed but small compact
village, and the U. S. ship lndepen-
dence, moorcd in the bay. was 40 lar
ger, apparently, tlail pllol DOul. more
Immediately below us are the cities add
towns buried by lava, by the different
cruptons, over which modern towns
(excepting PompeiD have been bui't, in
anticipation, it would seem, nj some lu-
turc day, of a SIMILAR fate.
Having surveyed, with our eyes, The
surrounding scenery we followed the
guide to the crater, to Obtain n good
look into which We had to walk for sew
eraI rods OIL ito rim, with yauninr
guph on one side, and a irigh,lul precl-
pice OIL the other.
Vcsuvius is now in reposc. Il has,
however, two lungs OF breathing places
from which columns of smoke are lnrcy-
or and ever ascending. This smoke is
60 strongly impregnatcd with sulpker
ms to sirange those who inhalc it. The
lava OH the sides of tie crater is Of the
color oil birthstone. An egg Ilaced in
ersvccs near the top will roast iua few
minutes. Metallic substances change
color by momsnts exposure TO this IT.
0osphcre. Indeed, this change oecurs