The Portland daily press., 1900-11-30


canic Ashes.
Pompeii is believed to have had rather
more than 10000 inhabitants. The city
stood on an elevation overlooking the
sea, the whole of the bay OF Naples be-
ing in view, while In the background
doomed grim Nesuvius, the destined de-
stroyer. Close by flowed the river Sarno,
which was crossed by a bridge. The vol
cano was supposed TO be extinct, and its
sides were cultivated all the way up to
the summit. Grapes were largely grown,
and wine making was an important in
dustry in the neighborhood, which like
wise produced cabbages famous for their
excellence.
1t was the city of the clan Of the Pom
pegs, founded by the 0seans. an ancient
Italian tribe, in the sixth century b. @.
or earlier, afterward conquered by the
Samnites. a rival tribe, and eventually
absorbed by mighty Rome. The culture
of the people was very Greek. They wor-
SHIPPED various Greek gods and used the
Greek names for their weights and meas
ures. Being so beautifully situated and
having delightful climate, Pompeii was
a favorite resort of wealthy Romans,
many of whom had villas there. Cicero
had a handsome cottage" as II would
now be called, and the imperial family
maintained palace close by. The villas
were mostly on the high ground back of
the town toward Vesuvius and facing the
sea.
Small earthquakes were frequent, but
not much was thought of them. On the
9th day of February in the year 63 A. ID.
there came a tremendous shock. which
was a warning OF what was to follow. 1t
threw down a large part OF the city, in
Guiding the beautiful temples of Jupiter,
Apollo and Isis, but most of the damage
was repaired by the time of the great ca
tastrophe.
The eruption which was destined to be
so memorable began early in the morning
of Feb. "a, 10 A. d. Spectators looking
from a great distance saw a mighty cloud
spread and overhang the city like vast
and ominous umbrella. There was still
plenty of time to get away In safety, and
doubtless majority of the people did
escape before the impending volcanic
storm began. Judging from the number
of skeletons thus far discovered 1t seems
probable that not more than about 1000
persons actually persisted. However, a
great many who attempted to leave in
DOdtS may nave lOsl tuCil bNGSs
Admiral Pliny, with q fleet, was not
far away, and letters brought by mounted
couriers reached him as early as p. m.
that day begging him to come as quickly
as possible with his ships and help to
rescue the people. He set sail imne-
diately and, arriving within sight of We
suvius at nightfall, ran into the rain of
pumice that was then falling. 1t was
sw.Daruthia 20 t,.olyn n 1onIipo M pnnaYaH
and so he disembarked at Stabi@, where
1t was hailing cinders at such a rate that
during the night he was obliged to leave
the room in which he slept for fear lest
the door might be blocked up. On the
following morning he died, being suffo-
Gated by volcanic fumes.
Early In the afternoon of Feb. "a the
hail of pumiee began TO fall upon doomed
Pompeii, the pieces averaging about the
size OF a walnut, together with torrents
of rain. 1t must then have been almost
too late for anybody who remained in the
city to get away. Repeated shocks Of
earthquake contributed to the horror of
the scene, incidentally demolishing the
bridge over the Sarno and so shutting off
escape In that direction. Meanwhile riv-
ers of pumice mixed with water flowed
down the slope of Vesuvius on the other
side and overwhelmed the neighboring
Herculaneum.
The pumice fell in Pompeii until the
streets of the city were covered eight to
ten feet deep with it. Its weight broke
in the roofs of many of the houses, and
the destruction of lives must have already
been frightful Nevertheless many of
the people still survived, seeking refuge
In collars md other such nlaces of re-
treat. They must have imagined that
there was still hope when early in the
morning of the next day QFeb. 30 there
came a great shock, and ashes began fall
ing in continuous shower with the rain.
Though day had arrived 1t grew darker
than ever, IL possible, cloud Of frightful
blackness settling down over the land,
while the lightning and thunder were APP
palling. Shock followed shock. and the
survivors must at last have concluded
that their last hour was at hand. Such
was In truth the case. The storm of ash
es lasted nearly, all day long. They drift
ed In through Ase windows OF the houses
and suffocated all who remained alive.
They covered the city with a sheet of
death six to seven feet thick.
Thus was completed the destruction of
Pompeii. When it was oil over, the roofs
of many of the houses still emerged above
the volcanic debris which had over
w6elmed the city. Herculaneum, howev-
er, had wholly disappeared under the
streams Of mud, o5 feet deep in spots.
which had flowed over 1t. This mud, be-
ing a sort of natural concrete, soon hard
ened into stone, which is today of such
solidity as to make excavation work ex-