The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-07-08
EXCAVATIONS AT POMPElL.
ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF THE CITY UN.
COVERED. t atr

TONS Frcscocs, Etc. .. i.
correspondent writes as follows to
the New York Journal of Commerce:
1t seems odd to speak of dead city as
a growing ono. But that is exactly the
case with Pompeii. There are many
cities i'll Italy that do not grow half as
last as the ono buried by the ashes of
Fesuvius 1900 years ago. A person vis-
ltlng 1t at intervals of year notices g.
marked enlargement of its boundaries.
lhc Italians, you know, are the cham
plon dlggcrs. They mako the shovel fly
when they attack the grave of Pompeii.
We saw gang Of them ut work there,
A Government oversecr watched them.
Like hawk. He wanted to be sure that
they pocketcd no icwclry, coins. or oh
Jects of art or utility yielded by the OK
cayatlons. The only produce of their
toll III that line as we stood by was bit
OF iron, which the guide called a hinge.
and the fragment of small marble col
umn. The spades busily piled were
gradually bringing to light a beautiful
house. Tho floors were mosaic, with
slmplo but graceful designs in scroll pat
tern-ncarly as fresh of color as if laid
yesterday. The walls bore frescoes of
1alnter tlnts-grlnning masks, fawns,
cupids, birds, fish and fruit It had
evidently been the home of a wcll-to-do
citizen of Pompeii The nervous move
ments OF the workmen betrayed their
anxiety. They were hoping at every
moment to make q valuable stfind." Per-
haps they might hit upon q great iron
chest, studded with round knobs like n
boiler, and full Of gold, money or orna-
mcnts, or they might strike another
wonder i'll marble or bronze, or thew
might be startled by coming suddenly
upon skull or other human remains.
In the latter cvcnt, the work is suspend
ed till q careful inspection is made.
Tho responsible and intelligent person
in charge proceeds to ascertain if the
dead Pompciian has left mould of him
self or herself i'll the plastic ashes If
50, he prepares a mixture of plaster of
Paris, breaks hole in the crust and
slowly pours i'll the liquid till tho mould
is full. When it has hardened, the cast
ing IS tcndcredly removed. Lo! there is
a rough image, showing some DOOR cren-
, tllro in the agonics of death, prone on
tho floor, face downward
t thus, most usually, were the inhabit-
G ants OF the doomed city caught by the
D destroying angel The skull, or leg, or
h arm, or whatever other part of the sltele-
I ton has not rclapsed into its original
I dust may attach itself to the plaster cast
O in the proper place, or may require to
y DO joined on by pardonablo 'rcstora-
O ton" In either case, tho effect is
thrilling in its horrible reality. Nothing
IN painting or sculpture can shock the
beholdcr moro than these self-produced
J and truthful statues exhibited in tho
} museum, which is tho first and most
interesting thing shown to visitors. But,
though neither gold nor silver, nor the
mlnutcst scrap of n skeleton, nor any
thing else OF Importance was mcarthed
for my benefit, | quilted the new exca-
vations with reluctance to examine those
parts OF Pompeii with which the world
ls already familiar through the medium
OF books and pictures. L found myself
quite at home i'll tho bakery, the wine
shop, ut the oil merchants, ut the houses
of Pansa, of Sallllst, of the "rrapic
Poet, and the rest. The high stepping
stones across the streets looked familiar
as if L had troddcn them before. The
deep ruts cut by the carts us they groan-
2l up tho hill, coming from the ancient
StGola, were like friendly landmarks. So
lully have literature and art made us &C.
4ualnted with this disinterrcd city.
The guido tells me that only about
onc-third of Pompcii has yet been mn
covered. take his word for it. He is
also of tho opinion that the best parts of
the city have already been dug out. He
evidently wishes that tho work would
stop. He is very human in this, for he
hnds 1t tlresOmo to show people about
the present Pompeii. Treble it's size,
and his labor would be thrcefold And
he is forbidden to accept money. But I
imagine this very stern prohibition does
not prevent persons from Offering him
(say) couple of francs on "tho sly" or
him from accepting them.
IL may be true, as our guido insists,
that the temples, forums, baths, theatres,
ana hnc houses now above ground sur
pass anything of tho kind that may here
after be discovered at Pompoii, Bnt the
Italian Government is not disposed to
take that for granted. Liberal sums arc
yearly appropriated to push on the work.
1t bears fruit. A new temple or amphi-
theatre may not be struck every year,
but something is constantly being turned
up TO instruct the world in the manners
and customs Of the old Romans SO we'll
reflected in the representative city Of
Pompcii. OF bronze or stone statTTtes,
household implements, and tools Of
trades, the yield is immense and steady.
These may be counted by the thousand
In the splendid museum at Naples. Ono
can see SO many articles of luxury and
used exactly similar to those he buys
nowadays, that he is fain to pause and
try to remember what besides the steam
engine, the photograph, AMI the electric
telegraph we modorns have invented.
There being no more room at Naples to
store these treasures, tho excess of them
Is huddled together in the courtyards
and houses of Pompeii herself. 1t is
estimated that at tho present rate this
mine of antiquities will not be worked
: out in fifty years.
why they Laughed.
An amusing story about Mr.. IL. O.
Richards and Mr.. Herbert Gladstone is
, going the rounds. Depend upon it,
| PIE on6 Oontlcmcn" said Mr. Rich