Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-09-04

and will also explain. The halfway sta
tion is quite smalI-large enough for half
dozen people, not more-and this enter
prising man had taken advantage of the
spot to sell wine to those who came up,
as it is really the only thing you can get
to quench the thirst, and one will suck
the bottle frequently on the way up, if
he was thoughtful enough to provide
himself with one before starting; if not
he must wait until he gets to this point
or the top. 1t seems that General Grant,
on his recent visit to Naples, made the
ascent of Mount VesGvius unaided, and
that he bought wine of this man at this
place. Bidding my friend of the noun
tain good morning, and telling him we
would see him later in the day, we started
on toward the moon, and arrived at the
top about the break of day, nearly an
hour in advance of any one of the party.
And thus we came up: Ohio first, Massa-
chusetts second, and Washington, D. c.,
third; then followed the party. Some
six of the ladies were carried up on
chairs, and others, and a few middle-aged
gentlemen, were helped up by holding
on to straps which were fastened to the
waists of guides, who walked ahead. We
now climbed down into the crater and
walked across waves of chilled lava,
what few months ago was red-hot, or
| rather molten mass, to the cone or
chimney in the crater, some 500 feet from
| the bank, as it were, of which we climbed
to the top and rested on its crest, within
ten feet of the fiery mouth of Mount We
suvius, down into which we threw
chunks of lava as large as our hat. The
flames rise to height of twenty feet
above the top, which can be seen from
Naples on any night. In the day time
the smoke appears, at a great distance
off, like steam; that is, it looks white
caused by the action of the sun on it..
could hear the rumbling and could feel
the vibration distinctly beneath our feet.
Large pieces of molten lava were con-
tinually falling around us, and on placing
a penny upon a piece of molten lava it
would become imbeded in the lava, which,
on getting cool, was carried off as tro-
ply. After having seen the sun rise and
taken a view of Naples and its surround
ings by daylight-the streets and build
ings looking like smooth surface of fine
Mosaic wOrk-the party began to descend
the mountain. We again led off, and in
three minutes landed at the foot of the
cone, which took us nearly an hour to
ascend. We ran down, taking strides of
eight feet or more, and sliding and sink
! ing in the sand at least foot at every
stride. Then we made our way as quickly
as possible to the Hermitage, where we
washed, brushed and had our shoes
blackened before the party arrived. Soon
all were in the carriages and on our way
to the city and our hotel, where we ar
rived at 9 A. NJ, with no regret that we
had made the ascent of Vesuvius, but
wishing to repeat the feat soon again.
Naples is certainly the hardest place we
ever got into. Here you will see swallow
tailed coats, diamonds and rich jewelry
-mingling on the same thoroughfare will
men and women who have barely enough
clothing to cover themselves, and chill
, dren running the streets entirely nude
+ Hackmen and drivers of carts are crue
to extreme with their horses, mules ant
donkeys. The crack of the lash is heart
from moSn till morn, as though the.
were rated in the profession by the cracl
! of their whip and the dextrous manne
in which they befabored the, backs of tn
poor dumb beasts. Naples is fast follow
ing in the footsteps of Pompeii, and i
appears to be only a matter of time ere
will receive the fate of the buried city
Vesuvius is constantly on guard, and a
any moment the fragile bonds may burs
and overwhelm this wicked city,.
: DIR. Loomis' American party were a
l Naples when we were there. We ais
, met the second, third and fourth section
, at Rome, some 300 of us. This larg
: American party has created considerabl
4 surprise to our European friends, an
e imagine us all millionaires. Never wer
3 they more mistaken. We now turn ou
4 steps toward Switzerland. j. L. M.