Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-10-25
[Editoricl Correspondence Of The !Star.l

Monte Rosa group, l came over the Simp!on
pass, and after visit to various points of IL
terest in Italy, came down here from Rome DC
fore had quite finished with the Eternal city,
In order to see FeSuviuS in its present period Ct
activity. OF the trip to Zermatt and neighbo--
hood may say in brief that it was of great in
tcrest, and served to fully round out series of
grand Alpine experiences. Zermatt is an
Alpine village at the head of the valley of the
Visp, 1870 feet higher than Chamouny and 5,3i5
feet above the level Of the sea; naturally it is
cool there nights, and when reached there the
air was considerably above the bracing point
early in the afternoon. Hemmed in as it is by
giant mountains, the sun sets early at
Zermatt, and rises late. Perhaps be-
cause of its difficulty of access Zermatt
is rather fashionable place of resort
and there is more style and dreSs-display al
table d'hOte than at most OF the Alpine hotels.
In one way and another, Zermatt IS getting to
be one OF the most frequented of the mountain
resorts, and several new hotels are building,
including spacious additional one on the Riff
fel, above Zermatt, the point from which the
Garner Graf is reached; the mountain summit,
nearly nine thousand feet high, overlooking
half dozen great glaciers, and affOrding a
superb view of Monte Rosa; the grim Natter
horn, until lately deemed inaccessible: the grand
Spire of the Breithorn, yet more difficult than
the MatterhOrn; the Dom, the highest noun
tain i'll switzerland; the noble WeiSShOrn. and a
sweep Oh grand mountains IN every ulrecCf0n,
backed in the distance by the Bernese Oberland
Among the diSagreeableS of the trip from Zer-
II att to Italy, are the experiences OF stay over
night at Brigue, the flea and moSquitO-infested
village, where one leaves the railroad up the
Rhine valley and takes diligence over the Sim
plon. But on striking Italy one soon gets used
TO both tieaS and mosquitoes, and learns to grin
and bear it; OF as Longfellow puts it, ito suffer
and be strong
THE ASCENT OF vEsUvIuS.
The announcement in the papers that EeSu-
vius was showing signs OF activity, indicating
what is called spaSmodc eruption, has at
tracted numbers to Naples, and nightly the
streets upon the bay and especially the balco-
nieS and bay front OF the superby situated
Hotel deS Etrangers, have been occupied by
groups OF spectators watching the changing
aspects of the red glare reflected from the boil
ing lava in the crater upon the cloud of smoke
and vapOr above. When this glare shows in a
perpendicular column it indicates that the red
hot lava is confined to the inner cone; when it
extends horizontally it shows that the lava is
flowing over the rim OF that new cone into the
basin OF the crater. AS the lava Will begin to
flow down the mountain side when the basin of
the crater is filled. orrather when it is filled to
the lowest point OF depression in the rim OF the
basin, Of course it is matter Of interest t.
know how fast that operation is going On. One
can go up to Vesuvius by the way of street cars
or rail to ReSina (Oyer Herculaneum) and up:
OF by rail to Pompeii and up from thence, but
the pleasantest and cheapest mode when there
is party OF three Or four is TO go by carriage
from Naples to the Observatory and thence to
The foot Of the cone and up il with as much or
little assistance from horses and pOrters as the
exciifsi0niSt may choose. We made up two car
rlage loads from our hotel, starting at / a. ~
(after necessary cup of Coffee; it being
desirable to make the ascent in the clear
cool morning air. both for the view and
to avoid the heat OF the sun later
We reached the Hermitage, adjoining the
Observatory in pleasant drive Of about
two hours. The morning air was sharp enough
to make an oVercoat good thing. The road to
ReSina was already filed with market carts
and donkeys, loaded with vegetables, fruits. &c.
AT ReSina we turned up the mountain side
through fertile vineyards OF the black crane
from which the ''Lacllrimae Christi wine is
made. There were many orchards Of fig and
pOn7egranate heavily loaded with fruit: indeed
fruits OF all kinds seem to prosper Oh this lava
soil, though it Is many years before the lava de-
cOmpOSeS sufficiently to be fertile. All along
the line Of the great lava flow of 1872 one sees
stones, erected by the owners OF the land COW
cred up thirty feet deep by that eruption, mark.
ing the boundaries OF their little farms or vine
yards. In thirty or forty years the surface OF
these lava beds will have decompOSed suffi-
GENTLY to be arabic, ii in the meantime they
are not overrun by another eruption. In the
way Of building Sites however, the lava beds
are available sooner, and already one handsome
villa has been erected on the track of the lava
stream OF 1872, where it cut through the village
long distance the white track OF the new stone
road built over the black waste of the same
lava. We engaged one of the boys
se wh0 US san speemehs e ase of 2s to yg re
some grapes instead. The punches he brought
us were not very good, but he explained The
matter very frankly by saying that he had to
steal them, and couldn't venture where the
good ones were. After that we bought our
grapes at first hands. At the Hermitage,
rude tavern, our luncheon Of cold chicken, wine.
from Naples, was spread upon a table in an
arbOr overlooking one OF the most charming
views Imaginable; but we had to contest with a
swarm of large yellow wasps for our edibies.
and they seemed to have a special liking for
cold chicken. We were hungry enough, how
ever, after our ride through the bracing air to
make fight for our breakfast, even with such
formidable antagonists as these yellow Jackets.
We left the Hermitage for the summit Of We
suvluS on foot, surrounded by crowd of dirty
tramps p in IN the shape OF guides; portantina
&C, all clamoring to be employed in assisting
us up the cone.
Up THE CONE
The walk from the Hermitage to the foot of
the cone occupying about 80 mfnutes) is over a
rough lava path but is not specially difficult.
but the ascent of the cone itself is good deal
like work, and is said to be much harder since
the eruption OF 1872. The cone rises 1900 fee,
above its foot, at an angle of about 40 degrees.
Dut the dl1hculty or the ascent Is not so much
from its perpendcularity as from the loose
nature of the surface which consists mostly of
Nolcanlc SanQ. InlS Is usually called ashes but
IL has none OF the characteristics Of what We
know as ashes. 1t does not rise at all in the
shape OF dust in walking through it, and is about
the size and something of the shape Of small
Deans. In TACT the ascent OF the cone is very
much like climbing steep mountain side coy
cred to the depth OF a foot or two with peas or
beans. found the attempt to climb over this
stun so dSgustingly fatiguing that concluded
10 take the assistance OF some OF the strap men,
and selecting two OF the strongest and cleanesf
looking OF the crowd, made a fresh start and
went up the mountain side "a kiting" as the
DOyS say. The way 1t is done is this: You seize
a strap held by the foremost man over his
shoulder, and the other man pushes you from
behind. Even with this aid you reach the tor q
good deal out of breath. Then the men will try
to hurry you down into the crater, because they
get an additional fee for that service and YOU
nave TO impress upon them with some perenp-
tofineSS that you are going down, but intend 10
take your time about it, and, first of ALL to oct
general idea Of the situation.
WHAT ONE SEES WHEN Up.
Looking about you find yourself on the upper
nm OF great ampitheater, or bowl which Is
perhaps half mile In circumference and two
OF three hundred feet in depth. A little to the
night OF the center OF this great basin Is what
appears to be cone OF black cinders forty or
nifty feet In height, and which Is throwing out a
panied at half minute intervals by emissions or
sc0i1a /. e. spurtS of red hot lava which falls in
cindery showers, sometimes within this active
ihtef1Or crater, and sometimes On its outer
cages. In the latter case the falling matter
goes TO building uD this new cone. which hoe