Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-12-19
A VISIT TO POMPEn.
First Impressions of the Place Unearth-
ING n Cnrnse- Irescocs.


ting a Corpse Frescocs
at was a long drive through Porticl'
and not a pretty one--tilth and beggars
all the way. We stopped at an inn to
order luncheon, and while it was prepar-
ING we drove to the Pompean amphl-
theatre. which stands alone at present, on
the outskirts of what was Pompeii-the
greater part of which is still buried under
volcanic ashes. And there stands the
arena-not circular, as | had iancled' but
| elliptical-most of the stone seats stu
standing one above another in long tiers.
The dens of the animals, the waiting
room of the gladators, might have been
occupied Yesterday To a reader OF
Bulwer, how specially interesting the
empty look of the place so often filled by
eager thousands; the awful contrast be-
tween the stiffness now and the mingled
roars of beasts, and men worse than
beasts, that rose into the great sky thou
sands Of years agol Then there are the
very seats. in the best part larger and
more cummodious, in which the ariS-
tocracy sat Separate boxes for the
ladies at the top Qhe women never sat
!
grown, but all so nearly complete that a
very little would restore the amphitheatre
to its original condition.
Gas we drove to it we passed on the
side of the road what appeared to be
cluster of mud novels; very small. dirty
and drabby, roofless and miserable with
out a vestige of color, or column, or
statue; and modern shed with new red
tiles here and there, put apparently to
protect something. / looked. heard
the courier, whom everybody here treats
with great respect and calls Signor Cor
riere, say: 'Dere you haf Pompeii sr!'
We'll. of all the sells in the world we
all exclaimed; and very foolish we were
to be so rashly guided by first impress
sions, for the rootless, colorless place
that Pompeii certainly seems at dis
lance resolves itself ON nearer approach,
into the most wonderful little city in the
world; but it seems built for piGmies.
The streets are eleven feet wide at their
widest; the houses were never more than
one story high, and they were all built
ON the same plan; but the frescoes and
other decorations are very varied and
beautiful.
Our guide through the ruins was a
Neapolitan soldier; and what with his
comical French, and his still more com
ical manners, he kept us highly amused.
He seemed to think what he had to de-
scribe ought to interest as much as if he
were showing the gates of heaven; and
the way in which he said in English (the
only words be could speak in that Ian
guage) by and by, sare, by and by,
when we attempted to anticipate his mar
rative, was Undesirable. He called me
'Mosseu' at every word, and was alto
gether inimitable iii look, manners and
everything. | was surprised to find that
not more than a third of the little city is
uncovered; and the excavations are now
going on with great vigor Discoveries
of deep interest are made every day, and
as we wandered about we could see the
workmen as busy as bees pickaXing away
the lava and ashes, like Il lot of English
navvies. A friend of our conductors f.
said something to him that made him
start; and he left lis only to return run
ming and gesticulating like a mailman. |
'Mosseau, on a trouvay Done cadavre. /
The deuce they have, thought l; that |
will be something to see.
.Fancy the thrilling interest with |
which | approached the excavations, and /
saw the men kneeline and carefully pick 1
ing away the volcanic matter from the .
body OF woman so perfect that you could .
not only distinguish her sex, but you felt
sure That she had been beautiful Any
thing more pathetic could not lie con
celved-a Young mother with little chill I
dren huddled about her; one hand .
covered her face, and with the other she
had tried to protect child from the