Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-12-19
VESUVIUS.
A Party of Americans Witness the
{ Great Eruptien-The Aseent-ACIOse
Approach to the Lava Current-A
Night Scene ON the Mountain Side.
y Correspandanc Of the Neu York NnrlH

MADkID, NOV Z3.-Ine daily bullet
from VesuYius became so exciting that
host of strangers were, like myself, at
traeted thither from Rome. We started
party of four, by Thursdays train, ant
arrived in down-pour of rain that al
most prevented our seeing the mountain
when, after passing the Caserta station
We strained our vision into the thick mis-
IN vain hope Of discerning the we'll
known outline Of the Somma and of We,
suVius. All that met our eyes Just be.
fore reaching the last stations on the line
was dim glow reflected on a mass o.
cloud, suggesting hidden treasure yelled
from sight. The window Of my room at
the Hotel Washington, on the Strada
Chiatomone, looked directly across the
bay to the volcano, and as the rain SUBJ
sided and the clouds disappeared soms~
what, the effect became hourly more
thrilling and fascinating. 1t was ar
ranged that the following evening we
should join party in the ascent. Among
these were DR.. Lyman, the American
clergyman resident in Rome, and his wife
and daughter; Mrs. Gould, wife of the
physician, also resident in Rome; Mr..
Maitland, the English clergyman in Ma
pies, and one or two more. Unfortu-
nately the weather continued stormy, and
with considerable misgivings we left the
hotel, by the advice of the propris
etor, in carriages, which most of us
believed would take US as far as
the Hermitage. But when we got
short distance beyond Resina, we
found horses and guides pre- pared to take
possession of Us. We demonstrated, but
were informed that once people did go
in carriages up to the Hermitage, but
that since the great eruption in 1858 the
road had been entirely broken up by the
vast streams Of lava that had crossed it
in various places. The rain had stopped,
and after much deliberation and contend
ing opinions, we finally resolved 10 defy
the weather, and get ourselves into the
saddle and began the difficulties Of the
ascent. 1t was then still daylight, but
night overlook US before we reached our
destination. The wind always increas~
ing, blew clouds Of ashes in our faces and
got so violent that all attempts to shield
off the cinders with umbrellas were futile
and only led one into confusion and
harder struggles with the enemy. Our
guides bent their heads to the storm, and
laid their faces close against the horses
necks, who were thus left to their own
sNeet wills, and this, as we were being
conducted past the most perilous places
along the narrowest and toughest paths,
did not contribute to ones feeling of se~
curity. There was nothing for it but to
screw ones courage to the utmost and
trust we might get up safe somehow.
How thankful we felt when the Hermit,
age, a miserable enough sort of shelter
ing place, was attained. We all assem-
blsd in q dreary room to arrange what
should be done next. 1t was agreed, in
the first place, to recruit our exhausted
spirits by discussing the contents
of q basket which had been sent
forward from the hotel, and, very
carefully shaking the various packets
free from IN accumulation of ashes, We
fortified ourselves Herewith, and then
felt encouraged to encounter the wind
once more. 1t was decided that it would
be insanity to attempt the ascent of the
cone, and so we were fain to content our
selves with Drawing the cinder showers
which persistently enyeloped US, stand
ing on an abrupt ridge near at hand.
Across this we looked upon a ravine
through which lava sea was rolling
Sullenly down the mountain side. Our
orfn of "a
mass beneath, above, and around us, and
now and then the smoke and solid Gin
der clouds cleared off for a moment suf-
ficiently to allow Of our seeing, as well as
our smarting eyes would permit, the
cone ard other openings from which the
destructive aood was making good its
way, laundering down into the glowing
ravines. Down in the valley, every now
and then some small cabin or tree, catch
ing the fire, blazed up brightly and then
died down into the lurid glow Of that
Titanic furnance. After about half an
hours struggle to see and admire, in spite
of the furious wind and driving ashes, we
resolved on an effort to achieve some
thing further, and by advice Of the chief
guide scrambled down a steep path about
a mile, to point where the lava current
might be approached closely with COM
parative safety. was dragged up like
the rest, on to PERCEPTIONS, dang r0us-
looking heap Of smoking lava, dating in
existence some twenty-four hours, hot to
the touch and most oppressive to the
smell from the fumes of sulphur aud
bitumen that rose from its fiery assures.
Some of our party actually sat down on
its Unpleasant surface. confess that
descended as quickly as / could secure a
guides assistance, feeling certain mis-giv-
ings with regard to my boots which, on ex-
next morning, found were by
no means unwarranted. Still, as an
episode in that wild nights experience,
as realization of q material pandemO-
mum, am by no means sorry we did it."
About nine o'clock we mounted our
steeds for the descent. Fortunately, this
was much less alarming than we had an
ticipated, and the faring torches, borne
aloft by the guides, lighted up the scene
and added to its strange, romantic char
acter. Once more we passed across that
black, undulating mass Of the lava still
seething beneath few inches Of incrus-
tation. Tall aloes crowned the winding
heights, beneath which we passed and,
looking out in the darkness every now
and again, we caught a glimpse Of the
work of destruction in the path of the
lava current, and were informed by the
guides of the amount of mischief already
done. A hundred and fifty houses Of
various sizes, church, acre. upon acre Of
vineyards and olive grounds, had already
been its prey. But they hoped it had
already reached its limits and would pro-
gress no further this time. We found
our carriages waiting for US, and reached
the hotel before midnight, almost too
excited to think of sleep or to turn away
from the scene the distant volcano pres
scented to our sight. We had proposed
returning the following evening to POrtici
and making for the spot which the lava
had reached; but, on being assured that
the smoke and ashes would effectually
prevent our seeing much, we postponed
the excursion. Since when, the danger
being arrested and the excitement greats
ly diminished, we concluded to relinquish
a second visit to VesuVius.
EAST TENNESSEE CORN CROP
SHIPMENTS LAST YEAR.
W. obtain Tba f,IIorr;ro c.o,,o A.