Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-06-20


4 When the pomp Of newborn day
Throstles ses and rise 10 hymn II
when. all ioveiinsH tAs sun
ostteth forth Ais c6orD to runi
-phn Nan 0assttA
/
PoMPem AND vesuvius.
| (From private letser - The wriesr's parental
| NAPLES, APRIL 50, 1889.
We arrived safely here on the 37th and
have seen 90 much cannot describe Il
to you.
Friday We spent looking over the city.
Yesterday We went 10 Pompeil. The
things to be seen there are too many for
description. should say they have un-
covered city four miles around and re-
moved all the earth 90 there b nothing
left but the wallis Of the houses and some
of the monuments and statuary. The
pavements are - clean % the doors OF
the houses. The streets arc paved With
stone and curbed with . narrow side
twalk, and arc very narrow and In many
places badly worn. You can go where
the wheels made deep ruts In the paving
and even the holes In tho stones where
the straps went through to tie their
horses.
Most Of the things found were rcmov-
cd to the museum, but one house In par.
ticular 10 OF great interest, % everything
remains ~ t was uncovered. We eaw
there how the people lived. which Was
certainly on very elaborate scale. Tho
wallis OF the rooms are covered with
paintings which are surprisingly beautl-
ful, while the hoors Of mosaic are very
rich 10 design and wonderful In color.
The court 10 filed with flowers, and
the marble columns stand as they were
left, while the statuary, fountain and
marble seats are al In their places -
they were when the people ded. One Of
the private houses which was the largest
uncovered had 10 the flrst court flower
garden and fountain, while In the court
back 10 what Il supposed 10 b vcgetar
BILE garden Of 10 or 80 feet, surrounded
by . colonnade Of hne large marble
columns Handsomely carved.
We saw the oven where they baked
their bread, and the bread turned TO
stone, also the mills where they made
their meal or nour. Iu one place was
the skeleton Of . woman on stone bed
Just ~ she died, and % many other
things that cannot begin TO tell you
about them.
From Pompeii We started for vesuvius,
expecting to ride TO the station at the
foot Of the cone, but owing 70 an erup-
ton during the night before We could
get only within mile, ~ lava had COW
cred the road In many places from Is to
80 feet deep, 90 we, or the ladies, had TO
take donheys, and 60 over trail In
roundabout way 10 the station. THIS
trail Was Just at the edge Of the lava that
came down the night before, and Was 90
hot one could feel the heat and zee the
smoke coming from it. I picked up
some small pieces, but they were 90 hot
could not retain them In my hand, and
We could see and hear the lava - Il
broke OF redhot and came rolling down.
call tumbling lava. II looked like great
cliukers Of coal, and ~ the side Of the
hill gradually rose these pieces would
break OF the side and roll down with
sound like clinkers striking together,
and they would som turn black, but -
they broke away you could zee the red
hot rock underneath. Tue pieces were
from the sire Of barrel down 70 small
bits.
The smoke ID constantly rising from
these places, and at night We could zee
the long streaks OF rcdhot lava or rock
from our window at the hotel.
IL 10 all very different from what ex-
pected, and I cannot give you the re-
hottest idea how II looks. After arriv-
Ing at the station We took cable car up
.,.~v sSa~v, Il. eliza. ,~rhtck tDnk - -
to the summit. From there Il 10 very
feet, ~ the summit Il covered with sui
phur and nne ashes like emery.
Iwas disappointed In the crater, ~ oil
we could see Was An immense black hole
perhaps one-half mile across. The
smoke and steam 80 constantly rushed
from Il we could get but poor idea OF
It. The place Il 80 awful that one does
not care TO remain long, and feels like
getting away a. quickly as possible.
You do not know what TO expect next,
as every few minutes there II away
below you q roar like thunder which
makes the mountain tremble, and you
see sides Of It falling OF into the awful
chasm below. The sight is worth trip
here, and consider myself well paid II
I should see no more.
You see from the summit the beauti-
ful bay, the city surrounding the shore,
. beautiful plain stretching away - far
as the eye can see, and many small cities
all teemiug with life, and at the foot
Of the mountain In the midst Of life and
beauty, the dead city Of Pompeii speak
Ing Of the dead past Of 1000 years ago.
At your side IL the smoking crater With
the ever occurring rumble away below
you, while little farther down, and on
lower level, you see new mountain
gradually but surely rising up, causing
destruction to the green fields and vine-
yards below, - the black mantle Of lava
goes tumbling down the sides TO oblit-
crate life and beauty.
Naples 10 gem, and ] would like 70
remain here long time, but tomorrow
We visit the Island OF Capri, and on
Wednesday start for Rome, which 10
about Ave hours ride from here. We
have the pleasure Of having two bridal
couples with us, one minister who
came over with uS, but tomorrow We
separate to meet new people and usual.
II. r. HALL.