Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-04-06
FROM OVER THE OCEAN.
Italian Scenery-A Visit to Vesuvius
and the Ruins of Pompei.
Extracts from letters to the editor.

| aIter our interesting sOJourH Ill INoIne,
where SO much can be learned OF the art
and architecture of the Middle Ages, and
where there is hardly an end to the gal
leries Of paintings and sculptures, we find
in Naples and her beautiful environs q
kind OF rest. Not that there is less to
keep one busy, but that here it is nature
nature, too, in various forms that must
be studied, as for instance the customs
and characteristics of the people and the
scenery.
| | always wondered when | read de-
scriptons OF Italian scenery or saw some
of the highly colored views, il the truth
hadn't been bit stretched, but since we
have seen sunset on the bay OF Naples,
aud another one from the top of Mount
Salaro on the island OF Capri, have been
surprised that such vivid coloring could
be copied at all. No wonder that there
are so many artists here, and that beauti-
full water colorings can be bought at such
reasonable prices.
In Naples itself the principal attrac
tion outside the Neapolitan life is the
national museum. Here all the statues,
paintings, and mosaics that have been
| found during the excavations of Her
eulaneum and Pompe have been pre-
served. There are, Of course, few paint
ings, etc, that have been left in the
| Pompeian houses, but they are such as
will not be damaged by contact with the
| elements and are left to give The visitor a
better idea as to the condition in which
they were found, and as to the arrange
ment OF the decoration.
| The bodies animal and human, that
have been found are in small museum
in Pompei. There are twelve human
bodies, nearly all very well preserved, so
we'll, in fact, that the contortons OF
| limbs and features are unmistakable
Only the skeletons OF animals are left 1;
there are chickens, mice, dog, and even
a small pig that was found with loaf of
bread in one of the ovens.
| We thought that after visit to Hercu
laneum and Pompei the national museum
would be still more interesting and much
more easily remembered SO instead of
stopping in Naples we went on from
Rome to Pompei, thus going half way
around Nesuvius at night, when the fire
can best be seen. Although we were in
| sight Of Nesuvius for two weeks after
that we never again got such tine view
OF the fire and red-hot lava.
| From Pompei we made the ascent of
Nesuvius by the new bride path. The
other way, which is perhaps more popular,
also more expensive, is with Cooks rail-
way up the Naples side of the volcano
The excursion from Pompei takes alto
| geth from four to tive hours. At the
/ village OF Boscotrecase, half an hours
/ ride from the hotel. the seddehors are
waiting. Leaving the town, and we left
rs soon RS possible, the place being rich
| in smell, and bcggars, the path leads for
Il while over bed OF ashes which are OF
the same appearance as those that are
| now being dug away to unearth the oil /
walls Of Pompei.
From here Nesuviu5 looks like great
I pile Of brown earth without vegetation.
with the exception of a few evergreens
which grow along the pathway at sus-
pelously regular intervals.
Soon the sleeper ascent up the zigzlg
path, which has been dug through the
lava bed, begins. The lava formation are
very Interesting and curious, some re-
-emhing twisted tree trunks, logs, etc.
Az soon rs the elm ping began to get diff
ticult the small boys and men who led TIA
horses each took hold of horses tail and
let himself be pulled.
Within half an hours walk from h.
crater one leaves the horses and continues
ON foot Near the top is the government
I guide, who goes to he summit and -hu Ws
the two craters-the old and the new.
The new crater was formed during the
eruption Of 1872 " hen Il stream OF lava WIS
thrown into the air as high again a- the
mountain, aud the ashes to twice tue
height.
Since then the volcano has been com
parativeIy quiet, and it is only within the
last few years that it has begun to work
again. SO much smoke came from the
crater that it was impossible to see far
strong, but the falling of the hot lava
could be very plainly heard. The guide
showed us chunks of lava that had been
thrown up the same morning, and in
many places where he dug away the ashes
it was so hot that the hand couldn't be
held there but few seconds.
We came down by shorter path to
where the horses were waiting; the small
boys shivered and shook and patted their
stomachs, saying that it was very cold and
that they would like to eat good mac
aroni for supper, which was gentle hint
| for fee.
The view on the way up is fine W hen t he
day is clear. We asked one guide how
people dared to live near a volcano, and
he said that he wasn't nearly so afraid to
live there as he would be to cross the
Atlantic.
From Vesuvius Pompei seems very
much nearer than it does from the town
itself; it is really about five English