Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-06-19

dejeuner at the restaurant "Diomede'
lust outside of the walls Of Pompeii
we returned to Naples quite satisfied
with our glance 1904 years backward
to the first century Of the Christian
era.
This afternoon we supplemented oul
visit to Pompeii By examining the vast
collection Of curiosities gathered from
the buried cities and now deposited
| in the National Museum at Naples
| The frescoes from the walls of Hereu.
lapeum and Pompeii give an excellent
idea of the state of art a. D. %
Seven or eight rooms are filed with
these specimens, the most Of them
representing NEUROLOGICAL subjects,
The Mosaics were very curious, being
made Of little blocks Of colored glass,
Other halls contain beautiful exam
Piles OF bronze work: some Of the
statues were OF large size, while nearly
all the subjects were skilliully treated.
Quite a number Of artists we're copying
the mural paintings, both in oil and
water colors. None of these repro
auctions were very good, the painters
generally trying to make pretty pic
ture, rather than to produce perfect
copy of the original. The prices
charged for their little daubS seemed
to be out OF proportion to their artis-
tic value. Some of the frescoes were
graphic pictures of hunting scenes, in
which the representations of men aud
animals in motion were very life like.
We we're surprised to see so many
utensils and tools similar in form to
those used in modern times. These
were planes and saws, compasses and
tongs, rakes and other agricultural
implements of excellent construction.
Also stoves and ranges, with utensils
for same One copper vessel for boil
ing eggs, in which there we're twenty
nine semi-oircular holes, one for each
egg, and Others for holding four eggs
only. There were dental, surgical and
musical instruments, scales and
weights, water faucets and taps similar
to our own. In one large case we found
variety of toilet articles, such as
hairpins and combs, the latter of
which were handsome in form and
set with precious stones. Much of
their jewelry was of exquisite pats
tern; indeed, some of the most fash
ionable ornaments of the present day
are copied from the specimens in this
collection. There were iron safes
very similar to those in use in Amer.
lea, until within a teW years, the
locks and keys of which night defy
quite an expert. The bronze lamps are
Of excellent workmanship, and one
which hung within the main gate Of
Pompeii is of beaten gold. Very
many other rare and curious objects
were shown in this unrivaled collee-
tien.
Before leaving Naples we visited
the tomb of Virgil,a alse tie lathe-
dral OF st. Januarius, which was
erected on the site of an ancient tenn
pie. The interior is embellished with
pictures painted on copper plates by
renowned artists. The blood of st.
Januarius, who was msFtyred in the
time of Dioeletian, is deposited here.
We we're told that thrice every year
this blood liQqi6es, wbigh miracle oc-
ours on the first Sunday Of May,
September 10Th and December 10Th,
days of festivals to all good NeaDOli.
tans.
April 28d
This has been an eventful day, and
one long TO be remembered. We Sc
cured barouche With good pair Of
horses, and made an early start this
for Mount Vesuvius. After
riding through the entire length Of
chaples. at least distance of eight |
miles, we began To ASCEND towards the |
base Of the mountains. As our road |
approached the foot hills we we're
much surprised to see such immense |
masses OF lava, covering acres and
aeEss, to very great depth. The |
molten StesW had divided around a
hill, one branch rgpning off to the |
right, the other to the lett Of this obs |
stFuction. The incandescent torrent
bad finally cooled off and solidified in
3 singular manner, presenting the
most wonderful forms imaginable.
The lava was twisted into shapes re
seFpents and the wFithing
lorms of horses, lying distorted on
some sanguinary battlefield. Until
now we had no idea that lava in such
great quantities was thrown out dur.
ing ~ eruption. The results Of diff
feFent eTqptiens we're pointed out, as
being clear and distinct from each
other. We passed little chapel
where the people 20 to pray when 2
convulsion seemed imminent. As we
rods slowly up the foot hills, the
wastes Sf lava were more prominent,
aud the Won 1r04s forms Of the con
gealed mass were almost appal ling in |
their resembling TO the copt9gted |
frames Of human beings undergoing /
The torture Of the condemned. Dore
IaRst have got his inspiration for tie
horrid pictures to illustrate his "In.
ferno" from so1ae such scene as this
The road wound up the mountain un
Ill we reached the Hermitage, Ehich |
was formerly the end of ali carriage /
riding, bpt RSE that the railroad as |
cends the cone Of lhe volcano, the |
carriage road has been extended half |
a mile or more to the station Of the
Funicular road. Here we found quite
Q plumber of tourists, some Of whom
had jHst come down the inclined rail-
road, yhile stbers were waiting to
make the ascension. The clouds that
had all chs morning beep gathering
around VesuYius. now became SO
thick as to obscure the summit en-
tirely from our sight, The railroad
is made on the natural incline of the
cone. Two deep and strong timbers
are Fixed about sight feet apart run
ming up the mopntaiB Gp each of