The Yazoo Democrat. [volume] (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1858-18??, 1859-01-08
MoUNr yEsUylUs.
HIV n LOU NIUD.
A Leaf from my Journal.

| y - b
But we are off this morning, Saturday,
March 7th, for Vesuvius. The morning is
slightly cloudy after the rain Of yesterday
the sun Of Naples comes out, however,
though tie winds are somewhat cool. Or,
them through the streets of Naples, crowded
with creatures in whom intense, ardent,
vigorous life goes on mindless of the past
and reckless of the future Then along tile
BEACH, with the mad waves laughing on one
side, 9n the other ancient Naples, where the
Greek colony settled originally, nearly 5000
years ago.w Thisis the lazzaroni quarter and
the ragged wrctqheslheg Of youas you pass,
"to eat maccaroni for you" You buy the
lnaeearoiii fofotbehs, sand the way they eat it
is as curious as it is disgusting. Then over
the bridge where the statao Of st. Janualius
looks so meaaeingly at NesHgus- then
through the long villages of Pottici and
Heslna AT the latter place the ascent to
Vesuvius sbegips. Here we are assaled and
assaulted by guides, who want to as8istus in
ascending Mount Vesuyius Having reSolv-
ed beforehand to engage one Cozaolino, we
I'HuhttFalNfNA NNElJ OllC Mdo NpbADlIHO. NAI
last one rather lame looking man asserted
that be was tie real Simon pure" Cozzo>
limo, who attended Baron Humboldt, and
Others Of distinction, and now wanted to
attend US, and to prove it we went with him
to his house, leaving one chivalrous teutle-
man OF our party in charge of the hdies
We went up steps and ancient lava, built
places, finally came TO a room in which was
an anciept gentleman who seemed to be "a
regular fixture Of Vesuvius. His age was
over so, and he looked, as. if he and Vesu,
vius were on the best possible terms aud had
made'a mutual agreement that neither was
to harm tie other He declared himself to
be the great Cozzoli6o, and that his virtues
had descended to his son, who stood before
US. UpVesuvius he could neyer'go again,
and his chief regret when calledon to depart
this life would be in leaving it. Their
guide book was then produced, where we
found many enthusiastic travellers had re,
corded theroyirtues and recommended them.
The mountain is more profitable than if it
we're gold mine, as it supports the villagers
who act as guides, hire carriages, let out
mules, Sc. Driving through dirty wet
streets paved with-laya, and at each side
high old houses, we left the town below
Then we came upon vineyards, peach orch
ards-the trees now in bloom olives, the
cactus, oranges, long bigA walls overgrowu
with ivy and fern the walls all of lava
stone and cinder. Then the paved way
ceased and our course lay over narrow
rough road, the views Of Naples and its
lovely Bay, White and beautiful on our left,
while on our right and before US vas the
rugged earthquake maker aud city destroyer
Vesuvius. The vineyards through which
we passed produce the fine wine known as
g Lachryma Christie" or clears of Christ"
The soil appears to be of great fertility.
Farther up, on our left, we came upon great
fields and acres of lava of many ages and
colors We crossed the lava of A. ID. ITO.
The walls on each side of the road were
made of it, and during the course of the
last few years pale moss,like flower had
grown over 1.-THE first attempt of Nature
to civil:ze it, and eventually convert it into
arabic soil, On some cleared portions there
were fig orchards, near which were vineyard
villas. Higher up all cultivation nearly
ceased, and the products of the 56 eruptions
Of Vesuvius during the 1850 years it has
been an active volcano, were strewn around
us in scotdhed savageness. The road il
some places is very smooth and in good
order, winding around 10 order 10 avoid too
steep an ascent. On our right the guide
showed US the lava Of the eruption of 1929,
in a deep hollow, and our road tlen passed
over ashes Which the guide said were dcpos-
tied at the period Of tie eruption of a. D,
no, which overwhelmed, Herculapeum and
Pompeii, and which wassthe first eruption of
| YesuYius within. historical periods, though
evidences exist that lit had been an active
volcano 1000 years previous. During the
long period of its quiescenco it had become
garmented with vines to its extreme sum
nit. There were numerous artificial caves
in the rocks and lava along the road side,
which the guide asserted were for the Gonve-
Ihience of laborers in the vineyards below,
in rainy weather. We then passed nearihe
layasof 1881, and that of years ago-the
latter looking black like dried river of
cinders. 1t took, as the guide said, bad
direction,"' having moved towards Naples,
Immense fields Of the lava of 1922 and
1899, were now seen on the right, lightly
covered with pale gray moss. On the
portions spared by the lava, however, could
be seen small terraces with mulberry trees
and vines, or small patches of wheat The
view of the Bay as we assembled, opened
far out into the Mediterranean, embracing
Capri, and the white waves laughed as they
leaped on The beach Of Naples; and further
on our left extended the 'shappy Campagna !"
Ascending higher, we came to the /" Hermit>
age,p a church and convent built many years
ago, on ridge projecting from yesuvius-
Here we leave the carriages, the ascent to
the base Of the cone having to be performed
on foot, or on mules. The guide here show
ed us the long ridge of lava, the orup.
ltion Of three years ago, extending two
miles down the mountain 1t is black in
color, and Oh it at various places collects or
exudes a peculiar sulphureous substance. 1t
is seen in deep hollow at the left Of The
Hermitage. We walked into the old church
built here amidst the lava and right on the