The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-01-30
EUROPEAN LETTER.
prom our Special oorrespondont)

We have returned soaked and dis
appointed from Vesuvius. Out clothes
and ~our tempers have been ruined
Cook, the excursion flend, has fallen
In our estimation and Vesuvius is
simply beneath our notice. We went
to the crater in rain that was sutfici-
ent to have put out the volcano. We
bave jolted miles in a springless
wagon, we have ridden sDringless
Monkeys, waded in ashes to our ankles,
and all this in the interest of pleasure.
Nf We left Naples about nine o'clock
in the morning under the supervision
x Of Cook and in one of Cooks wagons.
n The morning was not altogether
promising but hope springs eternal
and we thought the day would proba.
y bly, be clear-Naples was just begin
ming to really wake up for the day,
for the dolce tar nietate of the people
begins by lying in bed in the morning.
H At last we reached the open country
and while the clouds gathered over.
head our spirits were kept up by
band of strolling musicians who walk.
ed along by the carriage and sang
Santa Lucia " and other delightful
n Italian songs, varying them occasion
ally with "Dalsy Bell" in honor of
our nationality and seeming disappoin,.
ed when we failed to look apprecia.
tive. We stopped at little mountain
inn where our honest driver, who
probably shared profits with the PRO-
n prietor, told us we could get the best
wine in all Italy. At the next stop
we left the carriage and mounted
donkeys to cross the lava fields. At
this molnent natures feelings over.
came her, and as if in anticipation of
the fate that awaited US, began to
weep. Everyone commented glee-
fully on the fact and we mounted the
diabollcal beasts, as premier Oliver
said when the French started to
Berlin with eight hearts" When we
Preached that spot on our return we
had seen Vesuvius, but strange
silence had fallen on all the party,
and those who found voice at all lift
ed 1t IN declaring that hence forth
their mission would be to dissuade
Others from the ascent of the volcano.
n An incompatibility had sprung up
between all the members of the com.
pany, and eyes that looked love at
Y the beginning of the trip were now
singularly inexpensive behind straight
ened bangs, and under dripping hats.
M Probably the donkeys were no
worse than other donkeys, but the
road they had to travel was but a
yrough path and it seemed to me that
any self respecting donkey would not
have taken advantage of SO many
rock in the road for purpose of STUN.
bling as these innocent looking
animals did. The saddles were not
y fastened securely and the guides, one
Of whom accompanied each rider and
shouted dreadful threats to the don
keys, were expected to hold the saddle
on. When the donkey fell down, the
n saddle slipped forward and cuffed the
H animal on the head When he went
= up hill it settled insecurely on his
tail, and finally when the guide had
grown tired of holding it on, it tumbled
off altogether.
q The rain at last began to pour and
the wind rushed violently down the
mountain. 1t was impossible to hold
umbrellas, and cold, wet and dis
heartened the party reached the
station of the funiculaire road that
leads up the steep yielding ashy cone
to within a few hundred yards of the
crater of the volcano.
The only fire in the restaurant was
in the kitchen and the head-waiter,
who speaks five languages and proba-
bly, gets about $40 month, invited
us to warm ourselves, an invitation
We gladly accepted. When the world
had assumed brighter hue through
the medium of an omelette and steak
we started up the mountain again.
The road is almost perpendicular and
one feels mucn more as if the ascent
were being made in an elevator than
on rail track. 1t is called funicu-
laire, but is really cable with double
tracks and the cars are balanced SO
they pass each other midway of the
distance. On either side are the
great fields of lava and ashes, the
former of course, now cooled and in
the most fantastic shapes, in which, as
In clouds, one sees most clearly what
his fancy suggests. Perhaps it was
the influence of the donkey ride and
the. weather, but it seemed to me
Dore's illustrations of Dante's In
ferno" might have been photographs
of these formations.
AT the top of the funiculaire we
were met by new relay of guides
who took off their big coats and
wrapped them about the drenched
women in the party. Chairs carried
nv four men vara tc ha hod for thoca