Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-06-19
An Interesting Letter From a
Visitor to These Noted
Places.
The Spectacle Of Unssrthing {
House Buried for Eighteen
Centuries.
Enduring Smoke and Sulphur
GUS VapOrs for an Exa1ni. 4
nation Of the Celebra.
ted Volcano.
oOrrespOndsnce Public Leds.r.


cab, we're soon rolling away towards
the distant railroad depot where we
entered the train for Pompeii. Sew.
eral other English speaking tourists
occupied the car with US, and as we
were all bound for the same ancient
city we soon fraternized with them.
The distance from Naples to Pompeii
is about "a kilometers; the ride oocu-
plying just one hour, was quite inter-
esting, the road skirting the base of
Vesuvius, and passing several towns
as ancient looking as the hills them
selves. At Tore AnnunZ" quite a
number Of passengers left the train in
order to take the carriage road, which
leads through an interesting region.
The modern railroad station of Pom
peii is quite little walk from the
entrance to the old buried city. At
the gateway we are required to pay 40
cents for admittsnce, which sum ins
Guides the guides fee; for once in all
Europe we find that here, no personal
gratuity can be accepted by the guide.
Pompsii proved to be much larger
city than we expected to find, and
must had population of about 10000
in its palmy days. There has been an
immense quantity of ashes taken from
the ruins, which forms great heaps
beyond the ancient walls. We walked
through all the principal streets which
were everywhere we'll paved with large
lava flag stone. Deep grooves or ruts
were worn in the pavement in many
streets by the chariot wheels, but as
there are large stepping stones at the
street cornersit would be impossible for
horses to pass readily, making it prob
able that the vehicles OF the wealthy
citizens were drawn by slaves. About
fifty men and boys are at work exesA
waiting the ruins. The ashes are Glled
into buckets and carried out by
hand, a continual procession walk
ing up an inclined plane
to deposit their burtheDG outside the
city walls. The ashes is Of light gray
color, some specimens being of cubioal
forms about a quarter of an inch
square. While we were looking on,
the laborers unearthed a house, which
had not seen the light of day for 10
centuries. In the cellar were large
number Of ealthen wine jars, holding
five or six gallons each. At the time
of the disaster these we're probably
full of wine. In some of the rooms of
this house the frescoes on the walls are
as bright as though they were painted
yesterday. 1t is evident that the
houses were OF but single story in
height, the walls being quite low
Most of the movable articles have
been taken to the museum at Naples,
so that the bulldogs look very bare.
In many houses beautiful mosaic
psVements repreServed, and fountains
adorn the court yards, with leaden
pipes still attached. provided with
faucets very much resembling those
used in modern cities. The shops
still show signs of the different |
branches of business carried on by the
merchants Of Pompeii. The bake
houses are provided with immense
ovens, in some of which loaves OF |
bread were found, which are still pre- |
served. Primitive mill stones are |
still in place, showing that the corn
was ground by the bakers themselves.
These mills are vertical, four or five
feet in height, the lover stone being
conical, or rather it is formed like the |
trustum Of cone. The upper stone
is hollow, having a conical opening
that fits upon the lower cone. 1t is
evident from the appearance Of the |
four rectangular holes in this upper
stone, that wooden bars were thrust
into it, by means Of which Il was re |
volved upon or around the lover con.
ical milestone. This must have been
e tedious WIY Of grinding, but perhaps
each customer waited to see his grist |
ground, as we do 10 see the grocer |
grind our coffee in modern times.
The stores and shops WeEo quite
small, but the places for
the public sssemblages OF |
the people we're very large. The |
amphltheater is Of elipticsl form, hay
ing length Of 400 feet and a width of
ll5 leet, being amply large enough to
accommodate an audience Of 2DOOO
persons. The original arrangement of
the different compartments for spec
tators Of patricisn, as we'll as Of pie
bian rank, can yet be distinctly seen.
On some of the walls Latin inscrip.
tons are found clarifying the names
Of celebrated citizens, whose statues
formerly stood on each side Of the
grand entrance. The public bathing
houses are large. and were provided
with dressing rOeuS and separate
apartments for cold, VsFm and hot
baths. Some Of the large lead pipes
that supplied the fountains eau be
seen, as we'll as the channels made for
conducting the hot air, The walls
are embeliishcd with paintings or
frescOes, representing mythe!sgiQal
scenes, aud some has reliets artistical-
ly executed. We entered the Thea
ter Of Comedy" the pavement Of
which is Of coloFed marble. The
lower and most conspicuous seats were
reserved for the city officers apd the
magistrates. as in our American Thea
ter Comique, the trent seats are fire.
quently occupied by our most ancient
and venerable citizens. Many of the
private houses were elaboEately fitted
up when POmpeii was ia her glory,
some Of the mural paintings being es
pecially noticeable. In the house Of
che Tragic Poet" the entrance was
guarded by large mosaic, like door
mat, representing dog rampant and
held by chain, with the Latin 10
inscription, "eave canem" (beware Of
the dog). The day vas intensely hot
and we found the march through the
many streets Of this deserted city to
be quite toilsOme. Near the PoFtg.
Marina, which was the water gate OF