Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-03-25
CARLETON In ITALY.
A DAY SPRINT ON THR GREAT ITALIAN
MOUNTAIN.
Ths Ascent Of MISUNDERSTANDING Over Buried
Cites -Oossy Cottages and Beautiful Vine
yards On tka Mountain Slds-A
War Of Elements.

gOoO Jay ioN cilunolnS 'esu'i~,
sWered before sunrise. Looking nom the
little balcony in front of my window,
could see the great Bay of Naples, lying
calmly under q blue sky, DISTRACTED only
by stars. Sixteen miles TO the eastward
stood the huge solemn hill o flashes and fire,
reaching four thousand feet into the air.
It's maseso of yapor looked black as ink 10 the
faint starlight, though varied now and then
with flashes Of red, and in heavy cloud
RATS doated slowly away TO the eastward.
Soon there began to glitter behind it a rib
bon Of yellow; then a long, slender bar OF
gold was brought up and laid across some
mountain peaks farther south The smoke
from the great sublime furnace began to
be tawny of color; and all at oncs the sun
came rushing up through a mountain pass,
sweeping away all mist and mystery, and
clothing the most beautiful bay IN the
world in queenly garments that glistened
and shone.
Starting for the mountain at about niue
o'clock, we drove for SOM miles along the
curying edge OF the bay before commenc-
ing our ascent. Houses and shops lined
the whole distance; this valley of the
shadow of possible death is the most thick
ly settled district 10 Europe. We drove
right over Herculaueum, which Is now
the closely packed cellar and back yard OF q
modern yillsga; and nobody knows bnt
that this thrifty hamlet may some time be
covered in its turn with ninety feet Of lava.
We soon left the busy street Of the town
above q town, ard began the sscent OF
Vesuyius-along 3 Well-built carriage road.
For awhile there were eosey cottages and
beautiful vineyards upon each side OF us,
waiting for the next murderous caprice
Of the i~re-breathing monster above. But
after travelling a little while through these
gardens of wealth, our road, which zig
zagged mp the side Of the noun
tain, was cut through thick lava beds,
formed in the great eruption OF
1872. Here were hundreds OF acres
of these hardened ave of stone,
twisted into all kinds of fanci-
full shapes. ID almost seemed as if the
great mountain had paused in its wrath to
carve in lava the figures Of lions and
wolves, and the rough faces and forms Of
human beings. II was in some places like
a huge cemetery above ground, with frag-
ments of stones corses Of men and animals
hsaped together. These did not seem in
appropriate when we remembered that on
that April day, sixteSn years sgo, o score
of tourists died in a sudden torrent OF flood
and flame which burst from this side of the
mountain.
Anchor geries of angular tnrnS, each Of
which brought the smoking top Of the
mountain nearer and nearer to view, we
reached O small railroad station, c'inging
amid the ashes an leava to the aide of the
mountain like q fly to q wall. The crater
was now thirteen hundred feet almost i'm
Inediately above ua. The smoke or vapor
that rose from il Was nearly white, and
looked like steam from some giant escape
valve half a mile in diameter.
Fortunately, the wind was in the right
direction, and pushed the sulphurous
clouds away to the other side of The noun
tain.
Two cars are used in the ascent, and are
manipulated on the well-bucket system
one mounting while the other descends.
There is only a single rail fer each car, and
we were steaGied By wires OF either side.
The car while ascending was about as
nearly perpendicular ~ gTavitatioa would
allow. The attention Of lbs occupants was
divided between Italy, smiling at our feet,
and Vesuyiu4, froWning ard shudderiug
almost overhead.
Hall way MP the whole machine stopped,
leaving Us hanging in the air. One Of the
rails was out Of place, and our little coach
70 no farther. We could either 50 back or
clarrber into the other car, which had
nearly reached u on it's way down. We
chose the latter, Of course, lifted the ladies
of the party across, sons Of whom were
dizzy but brave, and went on toward the
trouble.
Arrived at tbs flimsy top-station of this
very fimSy little railroad, there were yet
many feet to Chamber, through ashes and pull
verified lava, before reaching the side of
the crater. But when the snblIme edge
VIZ gained all the memory of fatigue de-
parted: We stood at the great gulf il the
mountain top-at the crater Of the most
active volcano in the world.
From the great abyss before us came
clouds of thick, suiphurous vapor, with a
sound sometimes as if thunder-storms we're
being manufactured within, ard again as
if the hosts OF Hades were down there,
battling furiously with each other. We
could readily helieye-what we are told
by scientists-that q volcano is a constant
war between the ocean Of water that is al
WAYS not far away aud the ocean of fire
that RACES inside the earth.
Now and then great locks of stones went
flying hundreds OF feet into the sir, and at
the end Of their return journey alighted as
near Us as we cared to have them. In the
midst OF the excitement the mercenary
mouataineers who call themselves guides
surrounds US with Jumps OF lava to sell.
Ii one meets an Italian on the Day of Judg-
ment, he will stand q good chance of being
offered opportunities to purchase a souvenir
of the occasion.
Wishing to get another view Of the era
ter, | engaged two guides, who for the
modest sum Of a dollar extra, contracted
to show me everything additional that one
could witness and yet hope to descend the
mountain on the outside and take dinner
in the evening with his friends. After ex.
hibitiDg several points upon their anatomy
where bOues had been broken by falling
rocks, all of which seemed to have healed re-
markedly, they led me straight into thick,
sulphury steam, which was about as sitting
as anything / ever undertook to breathe,
and made the physical interior feel rs if it
were being treated to q sudden attack Of
spontaneous combustion. We descended
into q crater valley, which was full of
yapOr-breathing c~reyiees, and weird
enough % form one Of the most interest
ing districts of Dante's Inferno. Sudden
ly my guides make q break for fresh air
and the outer edge of the crater; and /,
supposinR that some tremendous new
historical cOuvulsion of nature was at
hand, used about a second and q half in
following them-so as to get q good lock
It it from o safe point. /
Great dangeror' shouted the swartby
Tillain who had my five francs. 1t blows,
his the wind, a wrong way! Halt the
Jour ago, all it was different! II you then
lad only been here But we must now
70 it back ~
The average Yankee, however cowardly,
= ..2I.- - L., Efo S.l. A.