St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1886-09-11
RUINS OF POMPEIl.
Description OF q Visit to the Most Inter.
esting Spot in Europe.

If there is one thing in the world
more interesting than any other one
thing it is Pompeii. A single glance
at it reveals more than the laborious
study of volumes treating of the his
tory, manners and customs of the
ancient Romans. To see the houses as
they lived in them; the shops in which
they sold their goods, with the vessels
and implements still in them; theater,
ampljtheater, baths, streets worn with
chariot wheels, and all the machinery
of this old life, makes naturally pro-
found impression even on the most un-
imaginative and unscholarly person.
If person is at Naples in the summer,
it is better to visit Pompeii when it
begins to get little cool in the after
noon. The train takes him there in
about forty minutes, through a delight
full succession of gardens, fields and
suburban villages. 1t is scarcely three
minutes walk from the station to the
little buildings at the entrance. where
one pays nothing if it is Sunday and
forty cents if it is a weekday. and is
admitted at turnstile. On Sunday he
looks about as he passes, not employing
guide unless he cares to pay for one.
During the week guide is furnished
by the Government. to whom no gra-
tuities are paid. though. when the vis-
itor leaves, he can, if he desires, pur-
chase some poor photographs sold at
the gate. Pour-boires are not allowed
at any of the ruins or public galleries
in charge of the Italian Government
which corresponds with the practice in
Paris. 1t is certainly most commend
able and right to do much to bring a
bad custom into disrepute. The
guides, most of whom speak French,
and some of whom have scanty
knowledge of English, are polite and
faithful in the performance of their
duties, and the visitor can command
their services during any reasonable
time that he cares to stay. An hour or
two, however, usually satisfies him and
gives him ample opportunity to see
every thing of interest, for as Pompeii
did not probably have a population ex-
ceeding thirty thousand. and as only
about one-third of the area has so far
been uncovered, the superficial area to
be travcrsed is not extensive. 1t is
also better to make a second visit or to
come at night, for which a special per-
mission can be obtained, than to stay
too long on the first occasion.
Excavation goes on constantly but
slowly on account of the poverty of the
Government, and one may watch the
process and see brought to light a
statue, pavement, fresco Or n Sleep
ing apartment What will be done
with the vast amount of antiquities to
be uncovered in the remaining two
thirds of the city, no one can tell. The
museum of Naples is full and the
quantity of antique material found at
Rome and all over Italy is crowding the
public galleries everywhere. Why does
not some American millionaire offer to
assist in disinterrng the rest of Pompeii
for portion of the antiquities, which
with commendable public spirit he
could give to some museum in New
York or San Francisco? Most of the
pictures, statues. frescoes, pavements,
bronzes, jewelry. etc.. have been taken
from the houses of Pompeii and placed
in the great museum ut Naples, which
is one of the most wonderful in the
world. 1t is SO rich in objects of
various kinds, in Greek vases and in
Pompeiian antiquities. that it would
really repay months of study. Persons
coming to Rome should also visit
Naples. which is only five hours distant,
and the visit can be made even in sum-
mer with much less discomfort than is
usually supposed. 1t would not be
perhaps worth while merely to know
its people, if time presses, but the three
great features of the place-Vesuvius,
Pompeii and the museum-are worthy
to be classed among the wonders of
the world.-Cor. San francisco Chr0ni-
Gle.