The Kenosha telegraph and tribune. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1859-1860, 1860-05-10
A Visit to vesuvius.

The intelligent correspondent of the
Providence Journal furnishes, under
date of Naples March II, the follow
ing account Of recent visit to esuVvi-
us: seee-r- rs f
''Did you ever ascend Vesuvius
Do you remember how you set off from
Naples one fine morning, with the prom
Use of day Of adventure and of pleas
urable excitement ? You had been to
Pompeii the day before, and had return
ed satisfied, although somewhat fatigu-
ed by the long walks through the streets
OF the buried city-relieved now and
then by ride in those funny chairs
and soiled by the dust kicked up on the
road. You know that with pleasant
weather, Bai@, Capri, Capodimont, and
Sorrento, might be made charming ex.
cursions of day, but the ascent Of We
suvious was a task to be performed
Sufficiently fatiguing in years past,
now that the surface of the mountain
has become so rough with the lava and
scoria of the late eruptions, the ascent
is nearly a break-neck enterprise. Yet
who would wish, or who would dare,
to go away from Naples without making
the attempt to accomplish it u? -.....
The five miles of rude roadway and
pathway up the mountain, every tolera-
bly, pleasant day at this season, are filled
with people going up and coming down
mounted on the backs of horses, asses,
and mules. The chances are that one
may meet an American acquaintance
on the side of the mountain not seen be-
fore for number of years. Such was
my own experience.
Directing the horses head with care,
mounting, plunging, scrambling over
masses Of lava, which make inconeeiva-
bly, rough, narrow, and crooked the
path flushed with excitement, tremb-
ling with solicitude, perspiring with ex-
ertion, laughing to stimulate others, and
and shauting to and thnmping the beast
on which you ride, you at length reach
the foot of the cone. Through what
valleys of desolation, over what horrid
black hillocks your path has led. You
are forced to exclaim, "does nature any
where present scene more gloomy and
hopeless, or more forcible image and
type Of the abodes of the damned TO
help the internal illusion, the inhabit-
ants of this mountain look more like
members of some diabolical crew than
creatures belonging to our race. These
imps, pr land pirates, are worse, if pos
sible, han those encountered along the
shore to wards Baia. To be cheated,
annoyed, and insulted is what one may
expect on both sides of the beautiful
bay.
But go up the cone, ifyou can, with.
out assistance. Courage, time, and pa.
tience are needed, but if you are able to
do it, there is sufficient compensation
found in the pleasing consciousness OF
having performed an heroic exploit. 1t
has been my fortune twice to come
down the mountain in the night-to
lunch on the side of the cone, with in
tervals of star light, or under a canopy
OF fog, or eat a meagre omelet and drink
a bottle of inferior Lacrima Cristi, with
the monk at the hermitage, by the light
of wretched candle. The fires of the
mountain glow with redder glare to
light our lonely pilgrimage, as again
and again you look back and wonder at
the spectacle, and wish that some friend
far away might see it with you"