Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1855-12-18

give up their dead
Only about the fourth part of the town has
yet been revealed and little progress has
recently been made in the work. We have
come to the gate, for the Government guards it
with vigilance, and must pay for admission
The door is thrown open, and stand at
once in the" Street of Tombs" 1t is fitting
entrance to such city as this The wheel
Worn pavement of huge stones is as firm as if
laid yesterday. On each side of us are the
monuments of the men who had been buried
and perhaps forgotten when the city itself was
made tomb. We read the inscriptions in Lat
in, and copied some OF them. One of them
+" Velasio Grato, Yix Ammo MI" scarcely in
his twelfth year. We entered the house as Di-
omede. In its portico Of fourteen columns was
found a skeleton of soldier who did not flv
from his post when the storm came We went
down in the basement where the family, doubt
less, took refuge; fer seventeen skeletons were
discoyerd there, the most of them females as
the bracelets and necklaces would Indicate
The ashes that settled on them became caked
and we saw impressions of cakes that preserve
the forms, and even the texture of the dress
One of these was against the wall in a crouch
ing posture-an image of terror, and mournful
monument of the night of woe. The anphorfe
or jars for Wine are still standing here imbed-
ded III the volcanic alluyium, which penetrated
even these reeesses. As we came up from these
saddening scenes. that impaired a sense of
the real to the place, felt as if IN 2 dead city
on the morning of the resurrection for the few
desolations appeared to have suddenly come
up to life in mighty sepulcher Along the
melancholy streets we wander looking into the
shops, where the counters on which business
was done, are still remaining here is a bakery,
as we learn from the ovens and the troughs, in
which the corn was found here an oil store
here the house Of a surgeon here tavern. in
front Of it is fountain and here are the pub
lie baths We enter the courts Of enc of these
houses, for they do not open at once from the
street, but are built round an open square This
is the house Of Salust, and evidently the abode
of one of the wealthiest of the men of Pompeii
The entrance with It's pilasters and stucco cap
itals-the atTiuIn, with It's fountain and ilnplu-
vium in the shape of shell its beautiful fres-
coed area, show that If must have been a srleIl-
did mansion in its day. On the walls of a range
Of apartment secluded from the rest, is a paint
ing of Acteon punished for his discovery ofi p;-
ana in a bath picture that intimates TIE Inys-
teTious uses of these chambers The slecring
rooms of these buildings We entered are small
but these We're on a larger scale than many 9th /
ers and near them was found skeleton load
ed with gold bracelets and rings, and supposed /
tn ba ha bo L,Fl
We pass on and the lasciyious paintings We +
find ca the walls and the disgusting insignia /.
which sculpture has affixed to the door posts Ct
the houses continually remind Us that this city
could not have been better than SodoIa, and de- /
seved its fate. Stepping into the portal CT an
other house, we find the figure OF a dog in the
mosaic pavement, and the words Care Cdal,aa-
" Beware Of the Dog" giving the same caution
which we meet with in our own times. In one
house most beautiful white marble fountain
stands with elegant shell work about it and
tie most delicate traeery Of the cLisel is seen
in the finish Of the structure Statues which
once adorned If have been removed TO TIE Mu-
scum. In another fountain were marble statues
with open mouths from which the Jets had leap
ed. Here the cornice and frieze were exquis-
the gallery were so light and easy that they
seemed to be pleased with their burden. AnotL-
er fountain had similar statues in bronze, with
swans and cupids.in marble, and curious frescocs
the walls around In the house of Castor
and Pollux fish pond was in the center Of the
court the walls We're covered with fruit and
flowers, with Apollo and Daphne, Venus and
Adonis, and other nude figures. A glass had
been put over of the most voluptuous pict-
ures to preserve ii from further exposure to the
air, lot the eye. Ia Casa Apollo, the bedrooms
were painted down to what might be the height
of the bed, with frescoes, whose colors are still
brilliant, and the figures perfect. ] picked up
some Of the broken plaster, and the guide re-
marked that all Pompeii would go to America
if travellers were allowed to carry off what they
wished. In another stood marble table of ez-
ceeding beauty, and with coolers underneath
1t, splendid court in front, and dancing sa-
loon with fluted colHmns Of fine finish, having
the names Of ancient reveiierS IN these courts
scratched upon them. Through many of these
houses, to which names have been given from
the prominent objects discovered IN them, we
were led, admiring the great variety Of deco
rations, but often shocked at the Universal taste
displayed fer the sensual and voluptuaus
We crossed the streets on square stones laid
at intervals, SO that the foot-passer might step
from one to the other, and the wheels 90 be-
tween them. At the end OF the street we come
to the embanzment OF ashes AID earth which
has not been remoy.a, covering yet other build
ings which Iaay contain more precious and IN
terestine remains than any that has been brought
10 light. felt as if I would be glad to have
the power TO say to this mountain, " BE thou re-
moved and cast Into the sea" The King spends
four or i've thousand dollars yearly on the pro-
lection and improvement Of the city, but 10
progress is made IN the werk OF excavation.
Now we pass and visit the temples Of Vc
nus and Of Jupiter, the magnificent arnT'iil e