The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-03-01
POMPEII.
Ne0 Discoveries-HoU the Excavations
are Conducted.

are C0Rducted.
An excavation picnic" took place at
Pompeii last month, in honor OF the ar.
rival Of Professor Pcirce and the other
members Of the American Eclipse Ex-
pedition. A correspondent Of the Boston
AdUertiser describes the scene:
On arriving at Pompeii, the party
were FIRST conducted to the present limit
Of the excavations, that they might
witness the entire process of the labor.
The wheel-barrow is still unknown to
the Italian laborer, and his rude, broad
pick aud his zappa, which serves alike
for hoe and spade, would be disdained
by the meanest fan Americans "adopt
ed fellow-citizens." Men and women.
boys aud girls, are employed indifferent
ly, and 60 scrambling and chattering up
the steep bank, with their little baskets
full of dirt upon head or shoulder. A
miniature railway, operated by boy
power, is laid near the edge of the cut
ting, and as fast as the cars are filled
they are pushed away beyond the lines
of the city walls, and Beyond the amphi
theatre, where there contents are dump.
ed. Close upon the diggers follow
another set Of workmen. I here prop up
crooked walls; repair breeches, made BY
tearing down the roof-supports and
| linteis, if these are of such extent as to
threaten the crumblins ofthe partitions !;
cut out carefully and carry away such
mural paintings or tablets as have any
unusual value, and can be removed in
good condition, or roof over or other
wise protect such as must be left in
place, but might suffer from exposure.
Just at present the excavators are
revealing nothing ofauy Intrinsic value,
for the street now opening appears to
have been almost exclusively occupied
By minor shopkecpers-some Of them
possibly in the military equipment
business, for portion of full,length
and life-sized painting of a Roman leg
ionary in a complete armor has recently
been brought to light beside one shop
door. In many other places in the
neighborhood arc painted up what seems
to be the names Of candidates for yari-
Gus local Offices; SO that perhaps this
district was the haunt of the war.
politicians ofan older day. According
", Professor Peirce's party we're warned
that they uust nos anticipate the 6nd-
ing of any treasures, nor even be disap
pointed if nothing we're found, for this
is the case with many buildings, every
thing having been either carried away
or destroyed.
The street itself must have been a
pretty one, for the buildings throughout
nearly its entire length were painted III
high alternate pannels Of red and black
relieved with some light ornament.
Doubtless it vas also lively one, for
beside all its shops, it boastcd a livery
stable, in front of whose broad doorway
the sidewalk was sloped to the roadway
that the chariots might roll out freely
The more modest art of donkey riding.
too, found its opportunities here, Tor u
great room in the rear Of the stable
indicates b. its frescoes that the pro-
prietor did not content himself alon'
with 'carriage customers"
Two or three Of the more promising
shops and houses had been reserved b,
the superintendent for particular at
teution, an in front of them chairs
were placed for the company. The
debris had been left, as | have intimat-
ed above to the depth Of two or three
feet over the floors, aud the door way
had been blocked by large stones to
keep the looser dust from rolling out
into the clean kept street. A dozea
men were Immediately set to wo.k,
and about as many custodt stood by,
watching with all the sharpness OF their
Iong-traiued eyes that nothing might
be caught up and concealed. Expert
ence has taught the directors in what
parts Of each particular kind of build
ing objects are most likely to be found ;
and therefore, while Que man was dig
ging away with the utmost iasomciance
his fellow. close beside him, would be
upon his knees carefully scraping away
the dirt with his fingers.
The first building was evidently a
shop, with living room at the back
but there w,re 10 external indications
of its character Digging soon develop
cd great iroa furnace or oven, leadeu
covered, anu set in brick. iu the ceutre
of the front roow aud The most popular
surmisc was the owner hal been cook
for few bronze vessels Of the sauce-lau
type were found near the furnace
together will: the bones oil two or three
dogs and cats, which imagination 6gm ed
as having sought the shop, after its
masters fight, in search Of sat pick:ngs
and as having paid for their gluttony
more dearly than BY beating.
A couple of wine anphoro. lamp
bit Of money, bronze ring, some
ivory pallets for the hinges Of doors anc
uovables. door key, and q few nails
completed the treasure-trove, the bacl
room bci e absolutely empty.
| fragments Of the red tiles and SOM
charred bits of the wood work, which
ithroaghou; the city vas almost all ig.
uited by the bl.zias cinders Of the die
r1-were mingled vita the ashe
pumice, IS also were Gsw broken jar