The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1876-09-05
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Two Buried cities.

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Two Buried Cities.
1t was August %, of the year,79 The
Gulf of Naples was peacefully sleeping
under the rays Of midsummer sum-
From Cape Missenurn to the Cape of
Soronto was seen an interrupted sue
cession of villas, palaces, colonades, ITEM
Piles and public edifces, some half-con-
cealed under the shade of luxuriant YER
dure, others glittering in the sunshine,
which lent to them magical splendor.
All was still, peaceful and gladsome in
this enhancing spectacle; not a breath in
the air nor ripple upon the water, and
the gilded barks OF the patricians re
manned motionless upon the shore wait
ing the breeze which should fill their
purple sails, eY 4o,i. -
/. At one o'clock in the afternoon this
tranquility was interrupted in a sudden
and unusual manner. An explosion
coming from the subterranean depths,
was heard In the distance; the sea be-
came tempestuous, the water receded
from the shore as if driven back by an
unknown power; the houses, temples
and coionades began to rock, upheaye
and reel like drunken men; finally from
the summit of Vesuvius there issued o
column of smoke, which presented q
white, gray or black appearance, caused
by the commingling OF steam, ashes,
pumice stones and scuria Sometimes
this cloud appeared luminous, like the
pillar which served as guide to the Is
raelites 10 the desert; this was produced
by the refuent torrents of burning lava
which seethed in the bosom of tue era.
ter. One moment the cloud remained
suspended in the air, awful, menacing /;
then Suddenly expanded like an immense
umbrella, vomited all around its torrents
Of rain, ashes small stones and cinders,
while the lava, making an eruption, fow.
ed from the apex of the cone like river
of fire, whose sinister reflections were
seen afar off and from the depth of the
crater hot stones hurled with fearful
detonation, bomharded the surrounding
cities and set them on FIRE, as park OF
artillery would with red-hot shot, THIS
rain Of fire, ashes and .calcined stones
fell not only upon the cities which sur
rounded Vesuvius, but along the entire
gulf. Naples, Stable and Missenum had
their streets covered with several feet oil
ashes the inhabitants fed7to the cnun-
try, terrified by the incessant trembling
OF the earth those who remained to se-
cure their effects did so at the peril OF
their lives. =, 7ss'f.1..
The wind carried the pumice stones
and ashes to Rome, where it was first 10
announce the catastrophe: In subse
quent eruption the ashes were carried to
Constantinople, which fact will not as
tonish those who every year see the sand
of Sahara waited to the coast of Africs
and to the Mediterranesn, This phe.
nomena was an episode Of the first ernp.
ton of Vesuvius.
Scientists do not agree regarding the
hypothesis OF subterranean convulsion
The generally.received opinion is thai
certain cases diffased through the earth
chemically combine, thus creating this
extraordinary heat which fuses every.
thing upon its passage, and produces an
expansion OF sufficient force to upheave
the earth's crust in some OF its parts.
Pliny, the naturalist, commander of
Etbe imperial fleet stationed at Missenum,
was extended on his couch, occupied in
reading, when the first indication of the
eruption appeared. A slave announced
to himthe rising Of the sea and 1.-THE cloud
of smoke in the air. The savant ascen-
ded an emineEce near at hand, and was
not long in, divining the trouble. al
though unable to perceive the summit ol
Vesuvius,. he was no less apprehensive o'
the source of this column of smoke
which had in previous eruption, six
teen years before, in the year 63, partly
destroyed Herculaneum and Pompeiit--
To provide himself with tablets andsorr
der light vessel to be in readinessqwss
for him the affair of q moment a WheI
about to embark q messenger arrivet
from the port of Retina the soldiers o
the Roman feet stationed at that ilace
and caught, betgeeE, Herculsneum ant
Pompeii, could escape only by the sea
and entreated Pliny to come to their as
sistance. ssbta ssit
y He ordered several galleys with fou
banks of oarsmea to be got ready, ther
departed. When opposite the theater o
eruption it appeared in all its sublime
horror. AS lie drew near the shore and
heard cries an6 groans, he saw the dis
tracted population running wildly, bu
not knowing what course to pursue, th,
inhabitants of the country taking refug'
in the city. and those of the city fleeing
Ito the country; he saw the soldiers will
hands raised to heaven in sign of 10!
for the succor he brought to them, hu
suddenly, when 400 yards from the shore
the ships touched bottom and could g
no further,
19e The coast where the day before yes
Isels of the largest tunnage could liant
had been upheaved, and henceforth th,
ancient maritime city of Retina was sur
rounded by land. Pliny could no longe
struggle against these forces: he was
witness of the despair of the unfortunat
soldiers when they saw the ships depart
Unwilling to renounce the desire to se
a volcanic eruption to minutest detail, il
order to give description of it. he re
lembarked for Stabie, the Castlemare o
to-day. Thinking be had under his eye
| a phenomenon of the nature of that o
63, he encouraged those about him, tool
q bath, ate supper unconcernedly and re
Tired to rest, after noting in. bis tablet
all that had impressed him during th
lday. r 8 ae' saet ~
Il This was the evening Of August 2S
The eruption commenced at l o'clock il
the afternoon, and was not yet at th
height Of its violence. Toward mornin,
1.-The slaves who we're watching at hi
door, and who heard him PEACEFUL,
breathing, were obliged to awaken him
rlNot only was the house shaken 10 it