St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-09-08
Description Of the Destruc-
ton Of the Roman City by
Mount VeSuvius.
How Pliny the Younger Wrote
of 1t to His Friend Taci-
tus, the Historian.
Buildings Tottered and Fell
as If Stone Had Lost All
Its Strength.
Ashes and Storm Clouds Shut
Off the Light from the
Dying Victims.

On the oath of August, 70, occurred
the first eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
which resulted in the destruction OF
Pompeii and Herculaneum. Suddenly,
and without warning, the mountain re-
solved itself into vast fiery furnace.
from which issued torrents of fire and
lava and immense volumes of dense
black smoke, converting day into night,
sending deSOlation and death far and
wide and completely entombing two
large cities, whose location remained a
mystery for seventeen centuries. Every
one is familiar with Bulwer Lytton'S
Last Days of Pompeii," in which fact
and fiction are so charminglY blended
by the great novelist. But few are
aware that graphic narrative of the
eruption, as seen and felt at Misenum.
ten miles from Naples, and far removed
from the base of the volcano, has been
preserved to this day. The awfulness
OF the occurrence, az experienced in
the doomed cities, words would be pow
erless to convey an adequate con-
ceptlon of, even to the most
fertile Imagination. The remains
OF the magnificent city of Pompeii,
disinterred after the lapse of seventeen
centuries, attest to the suddenneSS, the
terribleness and the completeness of its
burial. and to Pliny the world is in
debted for description of it's horrible
visitation. Standing on his vessel,
Pliny the elder, then commander of
the Roman fleet, dictated to a short
hand writer description of the appall-
ing scene and of the thrilling incidents
connected Herewith. Pliny was one
of the most prolific of ancient authors,
and many of his writings are still ex-
tant. Unfortunately he lost his life in
the great catastrophe, and it is to his
nephew, Plny the younger, we are in
debted for the account here given. The
following narrative possesses an addi-
tiOnal charm and interest at this time,
from the fact that gorgeous delinea-
ton of the dire calamity is seen nightly
by thousands of interested spectators
at the Exposition in this city. At the
request of TacituS, Pliny the younger,
after describing the death of his uncle,
wrote as follows:
''There had been, during many days
before, some shocks of an earthquake,
which the less alarmed us, as they are
frequent in Campania; but they were
SO particularly violent that night that
they not only shook everything about
struction. My mother flew to my cham
Der, where she found me arising in
order to awaken her. We went out into
a small court belonging to the house,
which separated the sea from the build
ings. AS l was at that time but eight
cen years of age, l know not whether |
shall call my behavior in this perilous
cOnJuncture courage or raShneSs, but |
took up Livy and amused myself with
turning over the author and even max
ing extracts from him, as if l had been
perfectly at my ease. While we were
in this situation friend of my uncle's,
WHO had just come from Spain to pay
him visit, joined US. and. observing
my hand, reprOved her patience and my
security. Nevertheless, | still went on
with my author. 1t was now morning.
but the light was exceedingly faint
and languid. The buildings all
around us tottered, aud though we
stood upon open ground, yet as the
place was narrowed and confined, there
was no removing without imminent
danger. We, therefore, resolved to
leave the town. The people followed
us in the utmost CONSERVATION, and
pressed in great crowds about us in our
way out. Being advanced to a con-
venient distance from the houses, we
stood still, in the midst of the most
hazardous and tremendous scene. The
chariots. which we had ordered to be
drawn out, were so agitated, backwards
and forwards, though upon the most
level ground, that we could not keep
them steady, even by supporting them
with stones. The sea seemed to roll
back upon itself, and to be driven from
its banks by the cOnvulSive motion of
the earth; it is certain, at least, that the
shore was considerably enlarged, and
several sea animals were left upon it,.
On the other side black and dreadful
cloud, bursting with an igneOus, serpen-
tine vapor, darted out long train
of fire. resembling flashes of light
ming. but much larger. Upon this,
our Spanish friend. whom mentioned
above. addressing himself to my mother
and me, with great warmth and earnest
ness: If your brother and your uncle, ,
said he, SIS safe. he certainly wishes you
may be so, too; but if he persisted it
was his desire. no doubt, that you might
both survive him. Why, therefore, do
you delay your escape mOment?' We
could never think of CUR own safety.
we replied, while we were uncertain of
hiss upon which our friend left us and
withdrew from the danger with the ut
most precipitation. Soon afterwards
the cloud seemed to descend and cover
the whole ocean, as, indeed. it entirely
hid the island of Caprea and the promon-
tory of Misenum. My another conjured
me to make my escape at any rate,
which, as l was young, might easily
effect; as for herself, she said, her age
and corpulency rendered all attempts
of that sort impossible. However. she
would willingly meet death if she could
have the satisfaction of seeing that
she was not the occasion of mine.
But l absolutely refused to leave
her, and. taking her by the hand,
L led her on. She complied with great
reluctance, and not without many re-
proaches to herself for being the occas
sion of retarding my flight. The ashes
now began to fall upon us, though in
no great quantity. turned my head,
and observed a thick smoke, which
ccme rolling after us like a torrent. j
proposed, while we yet had any light.
to turn out of the high road, lest she
should be pressed to death in the dark
by the crowds that followed US. We
had scarcely stepped out of the path
when darkness overspread US, not like
| that of cloudy night or when there is
no moon, but of a room when it is shut
up and all the lights extlngulshed.
| Nothing then was to be heard but the
shrieks of women, the screams of chill
| dren and the cries OF men: some calling
for their children, others for theft
parents, others Tor their husbands,
and only distinguishing each other
| by their voices; one. lament
i hi fo%4