Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1897-03-12
SECRETS OF PoMpEII.
Bssisd City Now Nearly Cleared OF thu
Debris of Seventeen Centuries.


Debris OF Seventeen Centuries.
At last, after perabps century Of
more or less intermittent work, Pom
peii, the city of ancient Romanplcasure,
has been practically cleared of the vol
canic debris of II centuries. Now
for the first time since that fatal
day whose awful happenings Bulwer
depicts so graphically doubtless
40 truly--ls bis famous romance, the
forum, when was the central feature
of the place, and the Strada del Sepolcri,
the principal suburb, can be realized in
their principal relations.
The early work of clearing the histor-
ic city, pursued with vigor under Murat
when he found himself temporarily in
stalled as king of Naples, was set back
from time to time by new erupticns OF
Vesuyius. As late as 1928 Miss Berry
records in her journal;
eve set out, large party, for
Pompeii. The drive of ii miles is very
disagreeable, Notwithstanding the view
of the bay and the mountains around.
\ The cinders and lava of the
eruptions last October Qs22) have
scarcely yet been swept to each side OF
the streets, but are left on the road.
Outside of Pompeii it is half way up the
horses legs"
No such impediments row await the
traveller, and very prosaic and distinct.
ly dilatory train deposits him in an un.
pretentious and not very clearly rail.
way station.
Except to the highly classical and
ultra enthusiastic eye, the first impress.
sions of Pompeii are Disappointing
The first place of interest which is
passed is the so-called basilica, sup
posed to have been used as law court,
but distinct from the tribunals, which
were at the further side of the forum, of
which the construction was not COM
pleted when the city was covered up
The most striking feature of this open
space is the ruins of the temple OF
| Venus.
A main street of Pompeii leading
from the station is that known as Strada
DELI Abondanza, at the corner OF which
is to be seen the chalcidicum, or ex.
change, one of the most beautiful build
ings as yet revealed, its central hall hay
ing been surrounded by columns of
Parian marble.
In the Street of Tombs, however, we
IRE upon more solid ground, for not
few of the monuments bear the names
and the busts of those to whose memory
they were erected. AT the extreme end
Of the Strada is the so-called Villa Do
mede, which has attractions alike for
the lovers of fact and fiction, for here
were found the bodies of II women and
children who had sought refuge under
the portico, but were apparently suf.
located.
The amphitheater is even further
away from the center OF the city than
the Sepolcri, and 1t is on this point that
recent excavations have been chiefly di-
rected, with very important results.
1t must be remembered that Bulwer
Lytton was quite accurate in describing
the games which werc in progress at
the time of the fatal eruption of Vesuvi-
us which swallowed up both Pompeii
and Herculaneum, and one of the results
of the works carried out here is 10 show
that the loss OF life on that occasion was
less than formerly supposed The peo.
pie assembled at the amphitheater had
time to make their escape to the open
country beyond
Scarcely more than 700 bodies have
been discovered, and the perfect state
In which many Of them were found is al
least negative evidence that time would
not have reduced others to impalpablt
dust. The activity, however, of the
present italian government will not be
relaxed until Pompeii has been forced
to give up all its secrets; and in thu
meanwhile it is giving up its treasures
of marble, bronze and gold, and bring
ing to light, among other facts, thai
portrait painting, for mural decoration
was practiced probably by Greek art
lists for their Roman patrons.-N. Y
Herald.