The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1896-01-31
European Letter.


Il 3b@Ae gF .---
MALES, ITALY, JAEUARY 10th 1885,
4 We have returned soaked and aissp.
pointed from Vesuvius. Our clothes
and our tempers have been ruined;
Cook, tho excursion fiend has fallen in
our estimation and yesuvius is simply
beneath our notice. We went to the
crater in rain that was sufficient to
have put out the volcano. We have
jolted miles in . springless wagon. We
have ridden springless donkeys. waded
In ashes to ourankles. and I'll this in
the intcrest-of pleasure.
We left Naples about nine o'clock in
the morning under the supervision Of
Cook and in one Of Cooks wagons
The morning was not altogether prom
Using but ''hope springs eternal and
we thought the day would probably be
clear Naplesswas just beginning 70
really wake up for the day, for the dol
ce far niente' Of the people begins by
lying in bed ia the morning. At last
1--we reached the open country and
while the clouds gathered overhead
our spirits were kept up BY band Of
strolling musicians who walked along
by the carriage and sang "Santa Luz
cia'' and other delightful Italian songs
varying them occasionally with Daisy
Bell'' in honor OF our nationality and
seeming disappointed when We failed
70 look appreciative. We stopped " >
little mountain inn where our honest
driver who probably shared preiits
with the proprietor, told ns We could
get the best wine in all Italy. At the
next stop We left the carriage and
mounted ilonkeys to cross the lava
fields. At this moment pature's feel.
ing oyercame her and IL in anticipa-
tiou Of the fate that awaited US, began
to weep. Everyone conmented glee-
fully on the fact and we mounted the
diabolical beasts. rs premier oliver
said when the French started to Berlin
with Zig hit hcsrts. When Ne reaHK-4s
ed that spot on our return We had seen
Vesuvius bat strange silence had fall
len on all the party, and those who
found voice at all lifted it ia declaring
that hence forth their mission would
be to dissuade others from the ascent
Of the volcano. An incompstibility
had Aprung mp between all the members
of the company and eyes that looked
love at the beginning Of the trip were
now singularly inexpensive behind
Strengthened bangs, and under drip
ping hats.
Probably tn. donkeys were no worse
than other donkeys, but the road they
had to travel was :bst q rough path
and it seemed to me that any self-re-
specting donkey would not have taken
advantage of so many rock in the road
for pupose OF stumbling as these inno-
cent looking animals did. The saddles
were not fastened securely and tho
guides, ore Of whom accompanied each
rider and shouted dreadful threats TO
the donkeys were expected to hold the
saddle on. When the donkey foil
down, the saddle slipped forward land
cuffed the animal on the head. When
he went up hill it lsettlcd insesurely
On his tail and finally when the guide
had grown tired of holding it on, It
of altogether
The rain al last began 10 pour and
The wind rushed vioisntiy down the
Aountais. It was impossible to hold
umbrellas and cold, wet and 'disheart-
med the party reached the station Of +
,he funiculaire road that leads up the
iteep yielding ashy cone towithin = few
hundred yards of the crater Of the
,olcauo.
The only Gre In the restaurant was
a the kitchen and the head. waiter, II
vho speaks Eve languages and probs.
,ly gets about SEQ = month, invited us
. warmsourselvss, an invitation we
.ladIy accepted. When the world had
assumed brighter hue through the
a edinm OF an omelette and stsak we
tsrtsd up the mountain agaia. The Il
oad is almost perpendicular asd one
esls much more a. II the ascent were
eing made ia IN elevator thao on al I,
..f - - II 4. <.ll~d = f.-s<..l-t.. .