The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1878-11-16

ed by q semi fluid mass rolling down the noun.
tain stiffcning II cooled II IL the ideal Of des.
citation ITSELF not green thing being able To live
upon H.
From the Hermitage one can 20 by foot or by
mule over u rough path 10 the base Of the cone
which Is reached In about an hour. This rises
l.SO0 feet, aud the ascent can only DO made on
foot A. the cone rises n an angle of about IS
degrees aud consists Of Hlag and loose ashes which
slip back under the feet ut every step. the climb IL
most fAtiguing. The traveller 10 beset with men
who offer their services and will help unless they
are resolutely and cnsrgetically repulsed. Some
60 just ahead and extend strap 10 the traveller
By Naich he ssn be partly pulled up. while others
gct behind aud "boost." aud By these combined
means even the weakest finally reach the top.
From the edge Of the crater Is y magnificent
panorama. Beforeus We see the country for miles
around the bay, the city and far out at sea, while
turning around ne look down into the smoking
pit, some ,wo hundred feet below Us. clambcring
down the hot, steaming sides We are at last at the
very mouth of the crater, and 20 all appearances
at the entrance 90 the internal regions. The night
before our ascchi, the first display Of the present
season Of activity had taken place and the sky
was lighted up with flames from the burning
mountain. We found that there had been a small
overflow during the night, and that some two
acres 81 the bottom Of the inner crater had been
covered with lava, which by the time We reached
u had cool crust an inch more thick on which
~ 'vsaH Nats WIN eAEu luFouEu the Cracks IN
u We could sec the red hot mass not two inches
under our feet. The guides cooked eggs in these
cracks, and pressed coins In the melted lava which
were drawn out With part of the cooled lava at
tachcd to them. We could hear the melted mass
10 the interior of the mountain surge from side 60
side ~ u boiled, and oftsn as once u minute
melted lava would be thrown into the air through
the little cone In the inner crater and fall near u.s.
The air was full Of sulphur fumes, which were at
times - oppressive that could hardly breath
'--et masses of pure sulphur were scattered all
La.
AZ the rhd 81 half an hsur We "
amber up the side % the crater, o.
~9Eus of he'll" and with another long look ut the
grand view before scrambled down the steep
aide Of the cone and return To the city. After
this We shall have all faith In the power Of vesu-
vius. aud when We read that during an eruption
u thJew a stone weighing IS tons a distance of IS
miles. We shall shut our eyes aud swallow the
statement without n word Of dissent
After another visit 10 the Museum. and 10 some
parts uf the city not mentioned in this letter, We,
with regret. take the train for Rome. We shall
never forget how We rode for miles along the
ruined arches of the aqueduct, while We we're en-.
tcring Rome. the full moon just rising flashed
through the arches which seegae.l o. as past u.s.
With this vision of moonlight on the Campo gnia,
amid the ruins Of the greatest nation and city the
world has ever retire for the night and in
the morning will ask our reader. TO 60 with q.
over the Eternal CITY,. u. u. BrRcHARD.