Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-05-12
THE BURIED CITIES.
A Visit to Pompeii--Specrlations as
to Why SO few People, wore Buried
with the City.

A Visit to Ponpeii--Specrlations al
to Why SO few People, wore Buried
with the City.
Naples Correspondence Boston Transcript.
Pompeii and Herculaneum were
buried in the same eruption in A.
d. 10; but while the lava flowed
down and encased Herculaneum,
the ashes, scoria, and lighter ma
terial were blown over and buried
Pompeii. This latter was changed
to earth which is now being all
taken off, from the top down. All
the city which has been excavated
is as open to the light as the streets
of Boston or New York. The books
tell us that both these cities were
buried by an eruption Of Vesuvius;
but this is not strictly correct. 1t
was at the same eruption, but while
the lava Of Vesuvius flowed over
Herculancum, the ashes and scoria
from Mount Somma, near by, were
blown over Pompcii.
POMPEII.
We paid an entrance fee Of two
francs each, and, with q guide,
walked into Pompcii, and thro' miles
and miles Of streets and into many
houses. The roofs of the houses
had been crushed in Except a few
which were arched), but the walls
are standing. All the dirt has been
taken out, leaving the streets and
floors and courtyards of the build
ings as clean as when they were oc-
cupied. The streets are paved with
great blocks of lava, two and three
feet in diameter, forming q pave
ment harder than granite. The
houses are all constructed of the
same material, and covered with
stucco, outside and inside. In some
of the narrower streets, where
teams could pass only one way, we
saw wheel ruts worn down ten or
twelve inches into the stone. The
sidewalks are from one and one-half
to two feet above the roadway; and
in front Of many. houses we saw
Sits cut in the outer edge of the
curbstonc for hitching horses. The
walls of the houses are very thick
and strong, and we only saw two
that were over one story high.
This, suppose, was on account of
anticipated earthquakes. Many of
the houses are from one hundred
and fifty to two hundred, and even
three hundred feet square, with an
open court in the centre, filled with
fountains, tish-ponds, and sometimes
surrounded with marble statuary
and columns. Nearly all the valu-
able statuary has been removed to
the Museum at Naples. The walls
of nearly all the houses are beauti-
fully frescoed with figures, and the
paint, in places, appeared as bright
and fresh as if laid on a year ago.
Many Of the floors and courtyards
are laid in mosaic, ,affording evidence
of great wealth and splendor.
NOTED HOUSE.
In the street of "Thc Tombs' we
entered the house of Diomede His
name was carved over the door, and
on his family tomb on the opposite
side of the street. This house is
made famous by Bulwcr in his nov
ell of the "Last Days of Pompeii." J"
1t is one Of the largest in the city.
In the wine cellar tw wenty-two bodies
were found. They had evidently
retreated to this place as last re-
sort, and finding themselves smoth-
cring were trying to get out, as they
were found near the entrance. The
wine-cellar is only ten feet wide,
but extends around the entire build-
ing, close to the outer wall. Many
of the earthen wine,iars, each capa-
bic of holding half a barrel, were
left standing against the wall. We
went into a bake-shop, where we
saw in the yard several stone mills,
perhaps two feet in diameter, for
grinding grain. The bake-ovcn was
very large, but unlike our old-fash-
ioned brick ovens, and in complete
preservation. Here was found a
large number of loaves Of bread
which we saw in the Museum.
PETIIFIED BODIES.
Our guide took us into a small
building where We saw two petri-
fed bodies, one of which had a gold
ring on the finger. Here also were
two females, supposed to be mother
and daughter, as they were found
together. The daughter was in the
act of covering her mouth with a
handkerchief. In another building
were several sketches, in fine pres
ervation, Of men, horses, dogs, etc.
In little dish were the bones of a
small pig, which they had not time
to eat; 'bere also we've 4 large col
lection of cooking utensils, lamps
and an earthen jar, witch, when
found was full Of water. 1t must
have been rendered air-tight.
When Admiral Farragut was
here three years ago, in honor OF
his visit they finished the cxcava
ton of a building for him. All had
been cxcavatcd to within two OF
three feet of the floor. They found
three iron bcdsteads-and the only
beadsteads they have ever found in
Pompeii!
DESTRUCTION of THE CITY.
There is, in our country, gen
eral impression that Pompeii was
suddenly overwhelmed, and vast
numbers of people were buried. II
all probability there were not more
! than two hundred or three hundred
people who were lost. In all Tho
excavations not single carriage
wagon or cart has been found
These seem to have all been used
in escaping and carrying away val
uablcs. When the shower of ashes
commenced, no doubt, few chose
to cntrust themselves to the protcc
ton Of their houses, thinking tho
storm would soon cease, and re
mained until the streets became sc
blocked up that they could not gc
away. In the court of Diomede's
Ln,,cn two hoIinS warn fnund On1