Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1853-03-10
Thursday, March 10, is5a.
NUMBER VII.
Naples, Dec. Il, Is5.

distance Of about one hundred and fifty miles. 7
went by Diligence. This mode Of travelling
though not as pleasant as by Railroad has more
excitement about it. The carriages used here
arc only calculated to convey nine passengers
and a conductor answering to our stage driver,
so far as managing the brake, looking alter the
passengers and baggage is concerned, but he
has nothing to do with the horses. To manage
those two or three post-bcys, dressed in monkey
jackets and high topped boots, with lace nihcir
hats are employed, and they ccrtainly are cntt-
led to much credit for their industry in the ap
piication Of both whip and spur. The conduc
tor pays them az the end of each route about
fifteen cents for their services, land allows them
the additional privilege of asking the passengers
to remember the postboy." They seem to
attach great importance 10 It's despatch, and in
addition TO the ordinary team Of six horses,
usually at the foot Of every hill two extra horses
or one or two yoke Of oxen, and then there would
be such shouting & haooiug ihgt person might
be excused for supposlng that at least caravan
Of wild animals was approaching. In addition
TO all this numerical strength. when we reached
the Neapolitan frontier, we were furnished with
two soldiers and an escort during the night
That made rather a formidable turn out TO con
vey half a dozen passengers over the road
These were the helps. The annoyances were
the petty police officers who called for our pass
ports at every little town on the route, and in re-
turn asked gratuity for looking at them, and
the burly custom house officers, who five times
on that route, though they knew we had made
no stop, demanded a fee 10 let US pass, or an ex-
animation Of baggage and consequent detention
Of an hour or more. If they examined, they
were sure to sieze something, right or wrong
and claim duty on it and as there was no time
to contend, pne was forced to pay or give them
the article, and | finally came to the conclusion
:" that it was better in Rome to do as Romans
do" Italy, though possessed Of as fine soil and
climate and producing in great abundance, when
cultivated, wheat, and the olive and vine. is the
land of beggars. In all the cities, except Flor
ence, where begging is prohibited by law, and
in all the small towns the streets are iun Of
them They beset you every where; they viii
run by the side Of carriage for miles,-ir You
stop out Of DOORS they are afler you, if YOU enter
a shop they will wait You at the door, and if you
give to one crowd will be after You Ike wolves
after deer, when they scent the blood drawn
by an adventurous leader. Where so mary
blind, crippled and manned persons can come
from is mystery TO me, and what can induce
an American to remain in Italy is more than
Gun tell
Naples, the chief city of the Nenpolitai king
dom, is beautifully located on the Bay Of the
same name, and is estimated to contain more
than four hundred thousand inhabitants. The
bay is near fifteen miles in diameter within the
Islands and very beautiful, though in MY cstma. !
ton ii falls far Short IN point Of beauty, New
York Harbor, with it's many islands and thickly
settled shores. That great Jealousy exists a.
mongst the nations Of Europe, is evident from
the large armies which are kept constantly I'M
der pay. Naples, including SARDINIA and Sicily,
has standing army Of an hundred and ten
thousand, twelve thousand of which are Swiss,
and they garrison the strong holds of the city Of
Naples the King evidently having more conf
dence IN their integrity than in that of his own
subjects. Naples of itself has little to interest
the stranger, but the vicinity is rich in scenes
that interest every person. Mount Vosuyius,
the first object Of attraction, is situated about
eIgh, miles IN nm easterly direction, and rises
1900 feet above the level Of the sea, presenting
for the upper half the dark brown color Of lava
and ashes, without single sign of vegetation
A L.. L. Il H.
a mile and a quarter of the summit, and bride
path within half a mile; but to ascend the re-
mander of the distance was little the hard st
climbing ever had The ascent is very steep
and over loose lava, which at every step slipped
gradually from under my feet, but the view at
the summit repaid all the fatigue. Crossing the
Alps had It's beauty and grandeur, but this had
something more; with It's grandeur was asso
ciated much of the terrible. The view Of Ma
pies, with It's Bay and islands, the Surrounding
towns aud villages and distant mountains was F..
grand; but while gazing at them, stood upon
the brink Of volcanic crater, from the bottom of
which, and even fom under my very feet, !ssu-
ed hot aud kissing a sulphurious steam, breath
OF which would almost suAocate me- In every
direction for circumference of two or three
miles including the crater, THIS steam was issu-
ing from thousand Of apeHures and sufficiently
hot to roast eggs in few minutes. The ground
upon which trod in many places, was too hot
to allow Of my standing any length of time upon
II, and the very idea that beneath my feet burnt
the inaxliagnlshahle fires OF Nesnyius had some
thing Of the terrible in il. This steam for it
was not smoke, soon cgaporates, and only pre-
sents for the time, a white heecy cloud suspend
ed over the mountain | found the descent ex
tremely easy, as had but to avoid the lava and
take to the ashes aud sand and slide down, ex-
treating my feet occasionally, when they sunk
too deep 10 admit Of further progress. Three
miles below the summit is Portici, a town con
tanning several thousand inhabitants. and built
over the scite Of ancient llercuaneum A eale-
way beside the main street leads down flight
Of steps some eighty feet 10 the cite OF that an.
Gent city, which near eighteen hundred years
since was buried by an eruption from Vesuyus.
and its location unknown.unnl discovered about
century since in digging for water This city was
destroyed by lava, which becomes ike stone when
cold, and the expense of excavation very great