The American patriot., 1855-04-21
VISIT TO A VOLCANO.


the day before, and with many of the same
sights around US, we drove to Resina, where
we were beset by the motliest and sturdiest set
Of guides, beggars and boys, We had yet en-
countered. The guides were ready to furnish
horses and conduct US to vesuvius. The beg
gars wanted money, and the boys would sell
us sticks to walk up the mountain, or they
would go along and help us. We had been
advised to find Vincent, Cozzolino, who had
conducted Ross, Forbes Humboldt and other
great men, and was, therefore, the man for us
We inquired for him, and one guide claimed to
be his brother, and another his cousin, but the
was near, and thither we. went. He was alb
sent. but we found his son smart young fel-
low, who produced his book of certificates,
and among them one from Professor Silliman,
committed ourselves at once to his care. Gio-
vani, for that was his name, supplied at once
with horses, and we set off with the whole
gang Of boys, beggars and guides in full cry
after us. They assured us that one guide
would not be enough; we should need help in
climbing the mountain, and each one had some
particular service to render which was quite
indispensable to our success.
By dint of hard riding We managed to get
away from them, and, by road that was well
paved and had been for thousand years, we
ror ho,,r ond han,
ascent by winding but easy path, which,
after another hour, brought us to the table
land, where stands the hermitage with refresh.
ments for travellers. Our way led us through
saluted us as we passed. Vast strata of lava
were lying in great ridges, along the sides Of
which the vines were growing luxuriantly,
where the waves of liquid stone had once
flowed and cooled, now stretching in long
rows, like rivers from the mountain to the sea.
We often paused on our upward way to look
back on the enchanting prospect-the neat
white cottages on the hill-sides, the villages IN
the plain, the city, the bay, the island the blue
sea. A glorious vision, every moment growing
more beautiful as we ascend and take in wi
der view. Now we observe successive layers
of lava, with the common earth between; on
the border of ravine we could thus count
four strata deposited by as many overfows Of
the boiling caldron.
After leaving the Hermitage we crossed i'm
mense fields of lava, over which path for the
horses has been made, and in single file we
made our way to the foot of the cone of We
suvius. We are now between Monte Somma
and vesuvius. They were one in olden times,
till the great eruption of A. D. 70 left this val
ley after the mountain had flown down to the
plain and the sea, and buried the cities of Her.
culaneum and Pompeii. At the base of the
cone dozen fellows were awaiting the arrival
Of travellers, and with sedan chairs would car
ry those to the summit who preferred that to
walking and when we all refused to be carried
they followed us, insisting that we should allow
them to haul us up with handkerchief about
our waists.
Taking the track along the side of ridge
of lava, now and then leaving it for the ashes
into which we sank and slipped back about as
fast as we got up, we climbed as perpendicu
larly as up ruined stairway of some old castle
From time to time was obliged to sit dowr
on the ragged piles of lava, and gather strength
for the ascent, for the summit seemed to re
cede as we approached it. But we did it il
forty minutes from the base of the cone. Nov
on the rim of the Greater, the ground on which
we are treading is opened with seams or cracks
from which smoke or steam issues continually
and if we listen we can hear the roar of tn,
internal fires beneath our feet We went ,
few steps below the verge to get some protec
ton from the cold winds that blew to freshly
on lis in our heat, and there we placed lot o
eggs in the crevices of the earth, and mad,
Vesuvius cook them for our dinner. Re
freshed and rested, we descended hundred
feet into the crater, and standing on ledge o
rocks, we could see down into the lower depths
from which the smoke was rising, but no fir
was perceptible.
After the interior of the crater has beel
cleaned out by great eruption, it is graduall
filled up by the upheavings Of the boilin
mass, and when full it flows over and runs il
rivers down the mountain sides, or might
eructation throws it into the air, to descend il
storm of red hot stones and scorie.
Enveloped in the thick sulphurous vapor tina
rose from the abyss, we were sometimes unabl
to see up or down, and appeared to ourselve
to be lost in some purgatorial cavern, frol
which deliverance was doubtful. For a fe,
moments the cloud would clear away, and W
then launched huge stones into the abyss, lii
tening to hear their roll and their bound afte