Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1883-08-25
Visit to Vesuvius.

We had left Naples at nine o'clock
(says correspondent, but 1t was noon
before we reached the Observatory-a
station which the Italian government
has established ON the side of the noun
tain for the purpose of making meteor
illogical observations. This is the limit
to which carriages can ascend, and here
we rested for an hour. Our watohful
lieutenants had thoughtfully provided
a substantial lunch, which the steward
spread in little garden overlooking
the bay, and there assembled as merry
a group of English peOpleas ever gath.
cred on the sides Of Vesuvius.
From the Observatory, those who
would spare any unnecessary fatigue,
may take mules Il mile further to the
foot Of the cone; but our party prefer
red the excitement of the walk after
our long ride. In ascending the cone,
no four-tooted best is Of any service;
one must depend on his own strong
limbs, unless he chooses to accept the
aid Of some Of the ferce,looking atten>
dants who offer their services as por>
tiers. A lady may take a chair, and,
for forty francs, be carried quite to the
top on the shoulders of four stout fel
lows. But the more common way is to
take two assistants, one to 90 forward,
who drags you up by strap attached
around his waist, to which you hold
fast for dear life, while another pushes
behind. Our young lady had three
escorts. She drove a handsome team
of two ahead, while a third lubberly
fellow was trying to make himself use.
ful, or, at least, to earn his money, by
putting his hands on her shoulders,
and thus urging her forward. l believe
| was the only one of the party, except
our lieutenant, who went up without
assistance. | took man at first, rather
to get rid Of his importantly; but he
broke down sooner than | did, stop>
ping after few rods to demand more
money, whereupon | threw him off in
disgust, and made the ascent alone.
But | would not recommend others to
follow my example, as the fatigue is
very great, especially to one unused to
mountain climbing. Not only is the
cone very steep, but it is covered with
ashes; so that one has no firm hold for
his feet, but sinks deep at every step.
Thus he makes slow progress, and is
soon out Of breath. He can only keep
on by going very slowly. | had to
stop every few minutes, and throw my
self down in the ashes, to rest. But
with these little delays, | kept steadily
moving higher and higher.
As we neared the top, the presence
of the volcano became manifest, not
merely from the cloud which always
hangs about it, but by smoke issuing
from places at the side. 1t seemed as
if the mountain were vast shoulder.
ing heap, out Of which the internal
heat forced its way through every
aperture. Here and there a long line
of smoke seem to Indicate a subterra-
mean fssure, or vein, through which the
pent-up fires forced their way. AS We
crossed these lines of smoke the sulphu
rous fumes were sitting, especially
when the wind blew them in our faces.
But at last all difficulties were con,
quered, and we stood on the very top
and looked over the awful verge into
the crater.
Those who never saw volcano are
apt to picture it as tall peak, a slender
cone, like sugar loaf, with a round
aperture at the top, like the chimney
of blast furnace, out of which issues
fire and smoke. Something of this
indeed, there is, but the actual scene is
vastly greater and grander. For, in
stead of a small round opening, like the
throat eff a chimney, large enough fol
one flaming column, the crater is,
should think, nearly a mile across, and
half a mile deep; and one looks dowr