The Yazoo Democrat. [volume] (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1858-18??, 1859-01-08
TY, MISSISSIPPI, SATURDAY M0BNING JANUARY 8 1859 Y.


nying the earthquake Of last December
We saw where there had been great currents,
or rivers, and even cataracts Of lava. There
were irregular hardened rocks Of former
fuidity, looking like suddenly frozen sea-
when the mad storm had collected it into
rugged heaps. Some of its black mass
looked like drapery blowDabout by the wind
We now entered cloud of mist, and walked
over portions of the lava of 1820--the lava
of 1884 being on our left like a black gla,
cier. Naples now appeared far below, look
ing like the upper part of heart. We
coGld see it in patch Of sunlight through
a cleft cloud, ,the island of Capri in front,
those Of lschia pand Proqda On the right.
The lava overwhieh we walked showed, all
KINDS Of colQrs There Eereimmense open-
Eings in the she'll Or crust of the lava. Vast
spectral clouds foated all around us, reveals
ling glimpses Of Il mountnin on our left, on
which lay some snow. This is Monte Som
ma, and we were now in the Atrio del Ca
vallo, narrow valley or passage between it
and Fesuvius, which was formed at the era
| Of tile destruction Of Pompeii- being the
source whence probably was obtained he
vast quantity Of liquid matter which over
whelmed the cities We now saw immense
rocks which had been thrown out Of tn
mountain, some large enough to crush ca,
thedtal.
Passing over a gentle ascent composed of
! ~ vol tpp ut Ionptb ob,I tbo hoaa cF L..
cone of Yesuvius. A scene of utter say.
ageness was around US; not the savageness
of vast glaciers, but that of lava and ciuder
The cone of Vesuvius rose above us, an as
cent exceedingly steep in some places, Ger.
tanly 60 degrees from the horizontal and
adown its course we could see the scorched
and Scared, aud blistered looking rivers OF
congeaIed lava, and at some places on the
side could be seen former craters now re-
apsed into inactivity; aud deep in the
mountain could be heard the roaring of sub
terranean fires. while from the summit came
4 tempest of sulphureous smoke and mist
Here the real labor began. Several parties
were met descending, being deferred from
making the ascent. by the inclemency Of the
wether. Our party, however, had no bach
Eout" in them, aud accordingly We entered
the dark cloud enyeloping Yesuvius like .
shr0ud and began to toll up the lava rock
and cinders piled as steep as they could lay
1.-Two of our party employed portantind
that is. a chair carried by four porters, tt
carry them up to the summit. The guard
an angel of the party-as it afterwards
/. proved-ltte Flora, was carried on the
shoulders of one Of the stawart Neapolitar
guides. Besides our party, there were somt
half-a dozen or more lazzaroni, who persisted
in following US some carried baskets o.
provisions, wine, oranges, bread, Offering tC
sell US; others eggs, which they were tt
roast for us on the edges of the crater 9th
ers offered all kinds Of miscellaneous service
such as assisting us from behind or pulling
US before by means of ropes or handker
chiefs they held in their hands all Offering
profering, and besctting us with service, moi
gratis, however, the price being always, il
every case, as much as they could extor
from our necessities or generosity. The
ascent was over large and small masses Of
black lava stone which moved under oul
feet at every step rendering the walking
very difficult, besides the additional incon
venience Of being involved in the sui phure'
Fous smoke of Vesuvius, and the mist which
concealed everything at distance, and fre-
lquently rendered the various members Of
tue party invisible to each other. AS
cending for at least an hour in this man.
ner, we came near the top after efforts that
would be considered hard work in any couu
try. The sulphureous gas now increased tC
such degree as to render breathing difficult
and our exertons in climbing obliged us tc
inhule large quantities Of it, Pains were
felt in the chest, and one or two Of the party
became insensble for moment or two, but
revived on application of some snow which
was fortunately found in crevice near
\ The scene began to assume the form Of the
recklessly dangerous A storm of wind aud
/ hail came down upon US which at times part
ed the smoke and mist in such manner as
to reveal spectral glimlses of Naples, far
below, and also of Monte Somma on the
opposite side of the deep valley. We ap
preached death, however, as if we were
working for life, and at length, fainting, ex
hausted aud half suffocated, stood on the
very summit of Vesuvius, and were within
few minutes walk of the crater, which
boiled over with smoke, We presented a
disconsolate sight, however; second timea
kind of fainting or usensibility seized some
Of the party, The darkness around, occa.
soned by the dense smoke andmist, increased
to such degree that mo one could see anoth
er at foots distance; while the sulphure-
l'ous gas was SO strong that each. one was
gobliged te hold handkerchief to his mouth
to prevent breathingit and escape suffocation.
1t then appeared fortunate that the lazzaroni
had so perseveringly followed as. Thoil
oranges were seized and their wine drank
without the ceremony Of bargain as to the
price The lazzafoni could have robbed US
all and left us victims sacrificed to temerity
in invading the outraged majesty of Wesu
vius, when not in a placid humor, with iniih.
lite ease, but in this our extremity they did
nothing but clamor about their pay. ,Vesu,
vius was fairly Smoking US out. Our
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