The Shasta courier., 1868-07-25
Under the Lava.

l
which he has condensed all that is vet known
concerning the City of the Dead. to whose
fate the recent activity of Vesuvius, gives
fresh interest like HercuIaneum, which
shared Its fate, it was tabled to have been
founded by Hercules, and some derive its
name from Greek word, signifying process
sion and referring to the stolen cattle which
the great freebooter drove into Italy from
Spain. According to another and at least
equally credible theory, the name signifies
an entrepot Or emporium, which the City was
TOR the beautiful and fertile country abnut il.
Elegant country seats, belonging to Roman
patricians, who habitually passed the Sum-
mer in this delightful region, adorned the
environs. There were villas upon the ver-
dant slopes aud wooded summit of Vesuvius.
whose sides bore marks Of volcanic action,
but OF whose eruptions not even tradition
remained.
! Sixteen years before its destruction Pompeii
was visited 10y violent earthquake, which
destroyed many buildings and frightened
away few of the inhabitants. But oil ira
ces of the catastrophe, except those to be
found in the substitution of debased archi-
lecture for the old Italian and Grecian STYLES
were rapidly disappearing, when on the oath
OF August in the year 76, Vesuvius shot up
gigantic column OF smoke and vapor, liken-
ed by the younger Pliny, who saw it from
Mlsenum, on the other side of the bay, to a
COLOSSAL umbrella pine, with trunk of black.
ness and boughs of fire, agitated by sudden
gusts vt wind and flashing into foliage of
green and blue fnmes. AS the splend0rs of
this phenomenon faded, showers of hot pu-
mlce-stones, so light that they filled the air
like snowfakes, and were blown even to
Africa, were discharged by the mountain.
| Floods of boiling water, mingled with
ashes, poured down the sides of Vesuvius in
streams OF steaming mud. Three days of
dense darkness followed. at the expiration
OF which the place which had known Pompei,
knew 1t no longer. The city lay from twenty
hve to thirty feet below the surfnce. OF the
deposit above it, the lowest stratum, about
tive-sixths of the whole, is composed of pu-
mice stones. Above this are Two feet of iroth-
lava, and still above f uitful soil has accu-
mulated. The pumce stones were hot
enough to change the color of the walls of
some houses, but not enough to set fire to
them. The lava in hardening, formed per-
feet mold. which preserved the impression of
the articles of furniture, the wooden carvings
the clothing, the forms Of features and ex.
pre>sions OF cOuntehance of men and women
who were buried alive more than eighteen
hundred years ago. So delicate are these
impressions as to Indicate the rank and age
Of one who made them. The beautiful head
and bust of II young girl, blonde haired, and
clad in II g"ssarner robe; the body Of wo-
man of thirty, with head dress of white
linen, dress of light stuff. gathered up at
one side so as to disclose the mold of limb
as beautiful as that of the Cytherean gnd-
des< J" that of man of unusually large
stature. wearing short coat, tight breeches
of leather or coarse cloth, and shoes laced ut
the ankles, with prominent features and
resolute look, are among the most perfect
specimens Of these lava castings still to be
seen in Naples or Pompeii. Specimens
equally good have perished in consequence
of the fragil character Of the lava, or the
carelessness or ignorance of the excavators
Some readers may be sorry to learn that the
story of the faithful sentry, who was found at
the city gate, where, like - the bny who stood
on the burning deck" he nobly met death
rather than desert his post, is a fiction, as is
also the pathetic tale of the mother alleged to
have been found with an infant in her arms,
and two other children at her knees But
the journal of the excavation confirms the re-
ported finding of a pair of lovers, whose inter-
locked skeletons showed they died in each
others embrace, and of a Iarty of priests
overtaken by death while banqueting in the
temple of Isis. Altogether some six or seven
hundred skeletons have been found thus far,
but only about third of the city has been
exposed.
Pnmpeii slept under the ashes of Vesuvius
undisturbed for nearly fifteen centuries. In
1892 subterranean aqueduct was cut
through the city, but the curiosity of the ar
chitect was not excited 10y the houses thr.ugh
whose walls he dug nor by the paved street
he followed for snme distance. In 1857
Roman arcbeologist identified the site of
Pompeii, ard in 1859 some remains were
disinterred but no excavations were made
till l748, and the discovery of the old city
was not fully credited till 1868. Nearly an
other century elapsed before the work was
prosecuted purely in the interests of science.
Austrian and Bourbon rulers of Southern
Italy labored in mercenary spirit, without
intelligence. During the rule of the French,
frum 1906 to 1915, some progress was made
but the most decided impulse was given t.,
the work by the Italian government after the
revolution Of 1860. Since that time several
hundred men AMI six thousand francs u
year have been devoted to the excavations.
which have been put under the charge of
Giuseppe Fiorelli. who ranks among the first
archaologists Of Europe. lie held the posi-
tion under King Bnmba at twenty-three
years of age, but lost his place as the reward
of his exertions to have the work prosecuted
with honesty.
Signsr Fiorelli has adopted system of ex-
cavating in horizontal sections. whereby less
injury is done to the upper stories If the
buildings disinterred than by the old plan.-
He carefully removes the several layers of
deposits, Sits the refuse earth. which is then
carried outside the walls on tramway, and
notes the place where each object discovered
is found. Where clear imprnts of the d..
cayed or carbonized portions of q house are
fund in the hardened mud. he reconstructs
them with fresh fimbers, and he has founded
a museum where plaster casts of perishahle
articles of furniture-such az wooden doors,
resembling ours. bedsteads with panneled
headb ,ards and folding screens-are exhibit
ed. Thus the city is now coming to light, in
J condition as nearly resembling that in
which the Roman inhabitants left it. as is
pssible. The visitors can examine their
houses. with their terraces. piazzas and tai
cnnies projecting over the narrow streets, and
planted with flowers and shrubs. 30 as to
form luxuriant hanging gardens. and roofs
covered With Aas tiles, except where an open