Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-08-22

Naples Letter.


A terrible disaster has befallen the beau
tiful but treacherous island of Ischai,
which lies like a jewel upon the sea
between the bay of Naples and that of
Gaeta, about twenty miles from the main
land. Many parts of this earthly paradise
have been rent and upheaved by dread
full earthquake, and it is variously esti-
mated that from one to three thousand
human beings have with awful sudden
ness lost their lives. Monte Epomeo, the
volcanic giant from whose sandy cone may
be seen one of the lovliest views in the
world, is responsible for countless catas
trophies in all ages. The very first Greek
colony from Calchis and Erythrea were
CONF PEELED to vacate the island and seek
slant earthquakes which shattered their
| temples and villas, and made them live in
hourly dread of destruction. But no great
err misfortune than the present has over
taken Ischia since the eruption of 1902,
which lasted eight weeks. and did an
| incalculabe amount of damage. Naples,
| to which city the news was brought yes
terday by the small steam craft which plies
between that place and the neighboring
| islands, is city of mourning. It's hotels
| and private houses are filled with wounded
people and terrified pleasure seekers
fleeing from the scene of wreck and ruin
Some Italian members Of parliament and
several families belonging to the Roman
,ristocracy are believed to have lost their
lives. The holiday season which begins
m June and ends in September was at lis
height. c ,samicciola, Lscco-the charm
ing seas side will &c in the cove below
Foro, Panz,, B,Arano, and Ischal Itself
were crowded with happy folks enj 'ying
| themselves in that loveliest garden of all
Italy. Suddenly, and without premonitary
warning the island was shaken to its centre
High walls lumbled down with crash,
rees we're uprooted, and whole streets OF
dwellings fell to pieces like so many
houses of cards, burying the unfortunate
inhabitants in the mass of shapeess dar-
| Dris. The survivors narrate appalling
| stories; and the scenes which they
| describe recall the terrors of Pliny's
| account of the destruction of Pompeii.
Along with the dead and wounded, and
the poor folks flying from shelter, the
steamers are bringing back to Naples a
sad freight of holiday excursionists-
frightened to remain in 1schai lest worse
than what has happened should presently
befall the island. They who remain-the
hotel and lodging house keepers, the
bathing attendants, the funny fishers of
Lacco, the vine tenders and goat heard of
Monte Epomeo-must be in sorry
plight. large proportion Of them have
lost their all, and, unless quickly relieved
from the mainland, will soon begin to
suffer the physical effects of want added to
The mental horrors of the earthquake. 1t |
is a curious fact that, Notwithstanding the
extraordinary fertility of this most pictur-
esque ano salubrous island, it is mainly |
dependent for the neccssaries of life on the |
Metropolitan markets. In land of vines
and chestnut groves, where the aloe and
prickly pear grow wild in the hedgerows.
a land of myrtle thckets and almost per
petual summer, the rustics do not attempt
to rear a few cattle or dig patches of
garden ground more than sufficient for
/ heir ordinary scanty wants. Consequently
h meat, bread, and green stuffs for the
,us tenance of the visitors are all articles
If IMPORT. Ischia is little more than
went miles in circumference, that is to
ay, five and Il half miles long by four
niles br DAD, and it had until this disaster
,cfel tw enty-four thousand inhabitants.
How many of these people remained alive
md unhurt, and what number lie manned
md wounde d, dead and dying, beneath
he ruins of churches and monesiares,
hotels, villas. baths, and peasant cottages,
$ not known, and many days must pass
before the horrible truth can BIO revea led