The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-07-25
AMONG THE RUINS OF POMPEu.

We took an early breakfast this MORN
inc, and at quarter past 8 O'Clock were
in the cars vending our way around
the head of the bay, along the base OF
Vesuvius, towards the rufus of Pompell.
In three-quarters of an hour the train
set us down in front of the Hotel Do
mede. We afterwards found the Hotel
Dionede so repulsive a place that we
preferred to wait for lunch until we got
back to Naples.
As we skirted around the base of We
suvius, stopping at Terra del Annun-
ciaza, Resina Portici and other towns,
we noticed that the volume of smoke
arising from the north of the crater is
more dense and darker than 1t appears
from Naples. We were told that at
night flashes of flame have been visible
for two or three weeks past, especially
on dark nights, which is the usual pre-
cursor of an eruption. Although some
one, and perhaps all these towns, are
liable TO find themselves in the track OF
the flowing lava, people have no dread
or fear of earthquakes or eruptions. To
live under the shadow of Vesuvius IS to
them such blessing and a privilege
that they would not exchange for any
other spot tn the world.
We entered the ruined city by the
Della Marina gate, one OF the eight gates
in the walls of the city, five of which,
the Hereulaneum, the Staoian, the POM
peian, the Jovian and the Decuman,
have been unearthed, and are in good
state of preservation. 1t should be
borne i'm mind that not more than one
fourth of what has been traced TO be
within the boundary of the city has yet
been excavated, although the work is
still progressing slowly. We passed
through many portions that have been
opened since our last visit, and also eX-
amined many curiosities that have been
added to the museum near the gate, in
GLIDING several molds of the human
form. 1t has been found that the ashes
and scorie hardened before the bodies
of the victims decayed, and that the cav
titles or molds containing the bones re-
tanned the human form. BY carefully
pouring liquid plaster into them, and
allowing it time TO harden, Il number of
fine specimens have been obtained
Among those recently added is the form
Ol NOunH gun lAOSS POAASSN sRhO y III
metrical She is lying on her face, and
the mold gives even the twist of hair,
while the features are perfect after hay-
ing lain for 800 years.
Among the other figures are those
supposed to be mother and daughter,
? with their limbs entwined. The most
perfect of all these holdings is that of
q dog. There is also in this museum a
large collection of domestic utensils
found in the ruins-tables, statuary,
shells, bottles, cups, lamps, pots, vases,
money-boXes, tiles, water-spouts, ETC.,
together with the skeletons of horses,
eats, etc.
After viewing the curiosities in the
museum, which are in the old Pompeii
gate-house, we passed along en- the
pavement leading into the city, which is
formed of large irregular blocks of
stone, the same as that which all the
excavated streets are paved with. A
guide accompanied US, furnished by the
Government, whom the visitor is re-
quested TO give nothing TO, the two
livres charged for admission covering
the services of the guides, most of whom
speak tolerably good English.
The ruins are all in an excellent state
of preservation. We were soon walk
ing through long, narrow streets, paved