Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-01-14
New Finds at Pompci1.

visited Pompei next day, and went straight
to the diggings. The only wonder is that any
thing is ever dug up at all; the process is ride
ulously slow, even for Italy. The director sit
all day on the rubbish heaps smoking, and doz-
ems Of children file up and down with their little
baskets Of earth, whilst few idle peasants
shovel up few lazy spadefnls at time Still.
the first thing I saw was the side of dining
room, uncovered only few days ago. On one
side was a bright picture OF fine cock and hens
In great state OF excitement over large bas-
ket Of grain and red cherries all upset-Land-
seer could not have done it better. The fondness
or the POinpelians for BIRDS beasts and fishes is
very apparent. and they always seemed to be din
inc. The wealth Of cooking apparatus in the mu-
seam is astonishing You have saucepans par
fofated with countless holes in most elaborate
patterns-eYery conceivable kind Of boiler and
caldron, casts for ,allieS. representing the pros-
trate hare and the sucking pig; ladies, spoons,
Showers, dishes for roasting six eggs or a dozen
eggs at once, toastng-forks, grdirons, aud
fancy machines for pastry and delicate confec-
tionery, what in Eizabeth's day were called ''con-
ceits." In Pompeii itself the oil-pots and wine
amphOra, let into Slabs and Of mosaic work of
colored marble. are among the quaintest
features of the ruined shops. | saw in another
new part a fine dining-rOOm. found three months
ago. with some OF the liyeliest animal painting
imaginable. The first section of the walls all
around represented the b0ldest scenes under
the sea-a cOnger struggling with an octopus, a
shark pursuing its prey, q shoal of fish flying
through the water, all glittering and fresh The
middle section dealt with birds and wild fowl
floating, flying, quarelng, diving; and the up
per and largest section gave fierce hunting
scenes-a horse pursued by lion, an OK in de-
sert scenery sprung upon By tiger; and all
these were set In scenery of great force, variety
and character-woods, rocks, rivers and green
hills.
The corridors and anterooms of this house are
equally rich. the walls copio1sly vignetted with
figures-dwarfs on stills street scenes animals
In one room there Is perfectly white suite of
marble steps in stu, belonging to fountain
The whole thing stands "a though finished yes
terday, without . soil or chip or scratch. They
seem now to be coming to some of the richest
houses, and have broken into the outer court OF
one in which stands a beautiful fountain cupola
and niche Of elaborate mosaic work, represent
ing gods and goddesses in the deep blue
heavens, halfveiled with fleeey clouds. The
house is stiil embedded under 80 feet of earth:
but, II this is the back yard, what must the
halls and corridors be2 The plan now afopted
Is to leave as much as possible in stu. Speci-
mems repeat themselves, and it is needless to go
on removing similar mosaics or frescoes OF
which there are plenty In the Naples museum
AS rule. therefore, all the later excavations
are more interesting than the old ones, because
they have been left unspoiled of their treasure
| l should like to spend week at Pompeii every
year, If only to watch the uncovering aud reye]
in the new finds.