The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-03-06
CLIMBING UP TESUVIUS.
The Experience of Cincinnatian Climbing
tho Conc OF tho Volcano.

! Inc LsNnerIcNCc VI u NiiiA"A"6 b
tho Conc OF tho Volcano.
a private letter of q Cincinnatian now
in Italy to friend in this city gives the
following account of the ascent of Vessu-
vius:
Thus far have entered into the bow
els of the land without impediment.
I sit writing in my bedroom in Hotel
Mobile, overlooking the Bay of Naples,
and have but to look up and gaze out
of The window to see Vessuvius with its
cloud of smoke, and light shining up
every few minuets-a veritable burning
mountain about seven miles distant.
Yesterday morning I made one of 4
party of fifteen Americans for the ascent.
We took carriage at the hotel, and drove
to Recina, at the base Of the mountain,
where the guides were hired. Then we
had additional horses, and so drove to
the observatory, which is, suppose
about 1900 feet above the sea.
At this point, five of the ladies of the
party chartered chairs borne by poles on
the shoulders of four men to each chair.
Some hired donkeys or ponies to go half
an hours march to the base of the cone,
which is pile of cindcrs and lava 1,4OO
feet high. As we came up it seemed
impossible to ascend, having an inclina-
ton of so degrees. 1t seemed really
absurd to expect the chair bearers to get
up but they went at it with a shout,
and only rested about four times before
reaching the summit in an hour and Il
quarters climb. l went afoot, and you
never saw me in such a state. Oh, dear !!
but it was hard Fancy steep staircase
with the steps chopped away and cover
ed out of sight with few feet depth of
cinders!
How many times tried to fancy was
half way up? When 1 thought | was
nearing the top I arrived at little shell
Ter made ofblocks oflava, where wine was
sold; this was said to be half way. |
did not believe it then, but thought it
merely disgusting joke and an encour-
agcmcnt to drink "wine, which maketh
glad the heart of man," and 'lacryma
christi" at that, but / was not in condi-
tion to be made glad, and my heart
seemed to be in my throat.
So I went on pausing al every forty
feet of ascent and oftener, until I was
disguised by seeing stalwart Irishman
pass me with three men pulling in front
and two pushing behind. An officious
Italian, who had long before proflered
assistance, at last held toward me his
strap again, and I clutched at it, and he
pulled away like donkey. One behind
thought his chance had come to make a
franc and commenced pushing at the
small of my back. l found the ascent
much easier after that.
When we arrived at the summit, We
passed part of the way around toward
the north, and then the head of the COL
umn, chair bearers and all, plunged over
into narrow defile between rocks the
path, if it could be called one, being
nearer seventy degrees than fifty degrees
and into sickening atmosphere OF sui
pher fumes which was not only very un-
comfortable, but quite alarming.
Small eruptions were taking place at
the minor crater, which seems to satisfy
the vomiting tendency of the mountain
in its passive condition, ard presently
we were on q sea of broken blocks Of
black lava-the cracks between which
showed the red, molten mass foot be-
low. We marched, against the protest
and cries of the ladies, to the middle Of this
black pond, the heavens shut out by the
pail of smoke, our throats husky with
sulphur.
Then the guides commenced with
sticks burrowing between the blocks, and
bringing out masses Of the molten stuff,
which they used to take impressions of
pennies. I have some of them, but do
not intend to go there to get any more.
Glad enough we were to leave the field
of lava, reposing on what appeared to be
so trcacherous foundation, and saluted
by the explosions as masses of the lava
tumbled into the gull, and kept up an
intcrmitten roar, we scrambled with
great difficulty and without passing up
the $50 feet of tubulation which led out
of the yawning crater to the narrow rim
at the top. Then the scramble down
LHe IHOuuLiIll Slue COlllIilcuCSuy iuu tliiS
was rather amusing. Some went at q
run holding themselves well back and
digging their heels into the cinders q
foot deed ut each step, eight feet n: stride
in quick time. The smoke is away up
there, and we are coming down at fifteen
miles an hour, more or less. The usual
pace is, however, a rapid walk, but oh
such strides! The chair bearers keep
step, and go as fast as any. The base of
the cone reached, we fall into an ordina-
ry pace, and then reach the hermitage,
drink some wine, mount our carriages,
return to Naples to dinner.
OF the view l find no encouragement
to speak. Situated in the middle of the
lunar shaped bay of Naples, whose cape5
are terminated by high, rocky islands,
Pompeii, Herculaneum Resina, etc., at
the foot, we have in view Naples, with
its church and castle crowned hills,
Castellaman and Sorrento on the left
the plains reaching to the snow crowned
Apcnnines landward, with scores of vii
lagos and towns to q distance of forty
miles, and so forth and so on. My pa
per fortunately gives out and gives
me a chance to 60 to bed and get up to
start for Pompeii tomorrow morning.
Z. II. X.