Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1868-04-22
The TerrOrS Of Vesuvlus..
a scon,an's experience Of The burning noun
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An adventurous lady who has ascended
Vesuvius, and braved the dangers of an ap
proach to the crater, writes the following
sketch Of her experience to the Philedel
phia Bulletin: -..-. ..-.-.
A half an hour Of fatiguing journey ovel
desert more dreary and terrible than imag'
ination can possibly picture, with Pompci
Hefculaneum, Tore del. Greco and dozens
Of buried and ruined cities and villagse
painfully expressing our sense Of tho super.
macy Of mans ingenuity over natural acci
dent, and inspiring dread Of the awful
fiery monster we were so recklcssly approach
ing, and not in the least modified by the
fact that seventy-fve thousand souls were
clinging to their old homes on the mountain
side, down which rivers Of fire rolled and
surged, upheaved and turned into great
blocks Of crimson paste, as if the cauldou
Of hell were boiling over and seeking vic.
tins beyond its limits. .
Now VIC dismounted; our skirts were
tied close around US to prevent their being
torn off by the sharp edges Of hard lava,
and with guide to drag us by the hand,
every one Of the party being furnished with
stout stick, VIC started toward the lakes
and streams Of liquid fire. At every step
the heat became more intense. We were
passing over lava that had rolled down only
twelve hours before. We dared not pause
an instant or our feet were burned if We
stepped one inch aside from the spot point
ed out by the guides staff, we must plunge
our feet into fiery paste; sometimes tho
crust under our feet cracked; we sprang
from it, and sulphurous flames issued from
the crevices. At last / found my strength
exhausted; my guide, preceiving it, cried
out, Courage, Madame; aranses plus
loin?' "Not STEP" l answered, and all
scenes appeared to lecede, when glass Of
bright vine flashed between my eyes and
the light, and Drink it is the wine Of
Vesuvius
We were so near the flowing lava that
our faces were all crimson with the heat !;
but We dared-to remain while coins were
thrown into it, and then finished out with
the metal sticking to them eggs were
roasted, and on the very place where We
stood, holes were made, only one inch deep,
through which papers were lighted for the
genteman's cigars.
Soon we returned to our ponies, began
the decent, and never will forget that aw-
fully grand scene A black mountain, sigh.
ing, groaning, breathing out fire and smoke.
Ruined cities, new villages, illuminated by its
flames. The snowy mountains, rearing their
white peaks to the clouds that caught the
golden glow of Vesuvius, and broke into
silvery light as the full moon rose trium-
plant, when the volcano sunk into gloomy,
smoky darkness. Naples, beautiful white
crescent city, lying at our feet; the bay
cleaning with the thousand lights that ray
like radiant coronet on the dancing waves;
the deep blue belt Of the Mediterranean
stretching out, an illimitablc line, beyond,
and !, awe struck, weary and subducd, pom
dcring on the Majesty that "rides On the
clouds, and holds the seas in tho hollow
of his hand!"