Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-06-02
OUR FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE.

Dear Uncle: / have completed my trip
to Italy and Sicily, crossed the Alps, and
arrived in the country that surpasses all
others for scenery-Switzerland.
lam completely satisfied with my tray-
els, and long toget home-if anyone knows
where that is. 1 am tired, tired, tired; my
soul is satisfied with rambling abont, and
henceforth, the sweetest place in the world
to me viii be where 1 shall have steady
home.
l have learned many things since leaving
America. some of which l but barely mis-
trusted. In all countries 1 find that sue
cess depends upon vigorous effort, and
that a man is esteemed here, on this side OF
the great waters, as manly, if he behaves
himself like man. 1 am glad to find that
the people here have to dig for a living the
same as at home, and the student arrives at
good scholarship only by severe study.
A very curious fact which have noticed
is, that the Germans drink much more beer
and the Italians more wine. than is drank
in America, and yet I do not see drunken
man but very rarely. They drink them at
their meals, and at all times, and that, too,
in excessive quantities. Oh, how many
times have wine, beer, liquor, &C., been Of
fered me, and how many times have 1 been
laughed at because l viii drink none OF
them. I sit by tables at hotels where every
one drinks, and they laugh because I stick
to cold water. In Naples man told me l
dare not drink, but answered him that I
knew it; 50 hope to complete my years
tour through the best beer and wine dis
tricts of the world, without allowing my
self even to taste Of them.
was greatly interested in Naples from
which place made the ascent of Mt. We
suvius. Although this volcano was not
throwing out lava, it is still very interest
ing from the fact that tremendous volumes
Of steam are rising out of the opening in
the top of the mountain, as well as from
numerous cracks in its sides. You have
seen steam engine at rest on the track,
blowing off great quantities Of steam.
Such is the appearance of Yecuyius, ex-
cept that for the small smoke-stack, you
must substitute one that is nearly quar-
ter of mile across it. Standing upon the
edge Of this enormous furnace, do not
know Of any more impressive object than
it. One stands before it astonished-abso-
lutely eonfaunded, at the stupendous vol
umes Of steam that rise high oyer the deep
and fathomless crater.
Although it is as white as steam I could
not breathe it an instant, as it set me to-
coughing. 1t requires much exertion to
climb up the great black cone, over the
acres Of ragged lava and volcanic cinders,
but / was 50 much pleased with it that I
vent up to the crater on two different days.
In many places the ground was 50 hot that
it would ruin a pair Of shoes in few min
utes, and by digging anywhere the ground
was 80 warm at depth of six inches that
the hand could hardly be borne upon it.
Ny green cane that ! cut on the way up,
took fire in one place and was all ahlaEe IN
two minutes, SO that one is soon satis-
fed that the great internal fires of the
earth have not entirely cooled away You
car, hardly imagine the curious appearance
of asingle high mountain rising up out OF
the plain and sending forth such volumes