Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-07-12


and a half miles long, to Turin, quite
handsome italian city with population Of
about 2l2, 200, going from thence to Genoa
where we spent several days in visiting the
palaces and villas in and about the city,
the most beautiful of which was the villa
de Pallavicuni, u Summer sesort about
seven miles from the city, of tho survivors
of the Pallavicuni family, the wealthiest
and most powerful in Italy some years ago
but now numbering only three. Pisa was
our next stopping place where we spent
Sunday, the next day reaching the setter
nal city," Rome. We make pause here
of about week, and probably you think
should make a pause now and give you
description OF the ancient city. Well, 1
guess could if would take the time and
purchase the stamps it would require to
transport the epistle across the water toyou
which cannot just now well afford, so l
refer you to "HarriS' walks in Rome,''
we'll worth reading and fully as well de-
scrlbed as could do. l do not mean how
ever, to speak of Rome i'll any light man
ner for it is a place where one could spe nd
life time III study of the most interesting
character. | only mean to say that my
pen cannot do it justice, so content myself
by passing OH to this place where we ar
rived day before yesterday, the 26th inst.
NAPLES
has population of about 100000 people
and is one of the most beautifully located
cities in the world, overlooking the splen-
did bay of Naples, which is simply the
Mediterranean sea, with Vesuvius back of
her looking like tremendous lime kiln. It
is. however, the dirtiest place | was ever
in and there are more lazy, nude and beg
ging people here than anywhere in Europe.
Y GU cannot go outside OF yourdonr without
being infested with beggars from all sides
and to satisfy their wants would break
Wall street broker Pompeii and Vesuvius
are the chief objects of attraction about
her, tourists being drawn this far into
Southern Europe. simply to get a sight of
these places, which are well worth a trip to
Europe, for Vesuyius has interested me
more than anything have seen since i
left home.
as you know, and as the books tell us, was
rich flourishing city Of about $4,000 in
habitants totally swallowed up and de-
stroyed in the year 70 by the eruption of
the volcano. remaining there buried
for IS centuries when Charles the Ill Or
dered its excavation. We drove to the
spot yesterday morning, a distance OF
lbout fourteen miles from our hotel, and
taking guide were shown through the
ruins. 1t is wonderful to see in what a
| about the place is, when you consider
that it has been two thousand years since
| it's destruotion-you find in petrihed
state the bodies of men, women and dogs
in perfect shape and On the fingers of some
OF the bodies you can see rings worn by
| them at the time they were buried, mag
nifcent statues are still standing and beau
tiful frescoing on the walls of the old pal
ace and public buildings is as fresh looking
today as when put there. Some of this
| work of art is of the obscene kind, indica-
| ting that certain rooms and houses were
| used as places Of prostitution. After
| spending over two hours here we took po-
MES about the size of Briscoe TamS's little
| mule, and guide, and started in full can
| ter for
about which we had all heard so much but
knew so little. Vesuvius is distant from
Pompeii about six miles, at least the base
of the cone is about that distance, and af-
ter going at full speed for about five miles
we commenced the ascent, it being so steep
that our ponies (gOod ones too) had to
take their time. In about half Or three
quarters Of an hour we reached the base of
the cone where we had to dismount as no
beast of burden can ascend higher nothing
in fact, save a man, goat, OrstrOng- minded
woman would attempt it, and in passing I
will say that there are good many of the
there are some at home. Here we found
eight peasants or guides waiting for us,
all wanting to carry us up or pull us up
with ropes &C., &C., but some Of the party
cussed them out and drove them back in
short while, with the exception of one old
fellow Who luckily for one of our party
hung on our rear. hoping that frail hui
mainly would sink from fatigue and that
he would be called upon, the old fellow
| was correct too. l shed my coat in the
outset and being pretty good walker took
the lead and gained the summit, which
was about three quarters OF mile, in a
little over thirty minutes, r. being about
ten or fifteen minutes behind me, but the
ex-Speaker stopped by the way-side about
third of the way up and cried manfully
for the old guide whom he had so outrage
ously abused but few minutes before.
The old fellow came to his rescue and af-
ter running his price up to double what he
first offered; attached his ropes and pulled
the fatigued tourist 10 the summit.
1t would be ridiculous for me to attempt
to describe this wonderful work of nature,
or the feelings and sensation that over
came me when first looked over into the
deep and burning crater. The ground all
around, which is of a dusty ashy character
and which smokes from every pore, was SO
hot that it burnt our boots. The sight OF
the volcano is grand indeed from the first
point you visit, but when you get down
into the crater, descent of Two or three
hundred yards, the spectacle is the grand
est ever behcld. Here you see this boil
ing and seething cauldrom, diameter
about rs or 100 feet) filled with red hot
lava boiling and surging like the waves OF
a maddened ocean; and every now and then
the upheaval of this lava into the air two
or three hundred feet makes one think
from it's roar and thunder that big eme-
tic had been dashed into hell itself and that
the internal regions are vomiting up their
insides. We descended into the crater as
for as you get, to within stones throw of
the flames, and sat and watched it, spell
bound. l never expect to witness such a |
sight again unless revisit Vesuvius, and |
oven then | may not see it under such ia |
vorable circumstances IS at this time, they !
say it is more disturbed than it has been |
for years. We were loath to leave but |
after watching it and the magnificent view
all around, we started back, as it was get
ting late. making the descent to our ponies
IN ten or fifteen minutes, when we re-
mounted, amongst the be-deviling offers
of the peasants to assist us, and wound
our way down the mountain to little
town called ''Annuneiata" where our car
riaee met us, our driver getting US back to
our Hotel in time for an eight O'Clock ia
BILE d'hote which we fully enjoyed.
We expect to return to Rome tomorrow
when hope very much to find a letter and
one or two copies OF the INDICATOR as
have not heard from home sAce my de-
parture and am becoming somewhat hun