The Redwood gazette., 1902-04-30

vigorous beating and my saddle
turned again, got off, and in spite
OF the protestations Of the guide,
insisted upon walking. [ walked
for some time but finally the ashes
grew so deep that I couldn't keep
up with the rest, and another sad
die having eenprocured, | mounted
my horse and went on. In spite OF
all our libels, the animals were sure
footed as they need to be, for it is
not an easy path. For an hour and
a half we plodded on, the ashes and
cinders growing deeper at every
step. By and by we began to pass
great masses of lava, congealed in
all sorts OF grotesque shapes. When
the fog lifted we could see the bay
beneath us, in fact our way lay
along the side of the mountain, just
narrow shelf winding IN and out,
with the steep mountain below and
bank of fog above. AS we went
on the fog changed to rain: and OF
course prevented view OF the sur
rounding country which is one OF
the chief, if not the only, charm OF
the ascent. It was a very wet
rain too, and we were thoroughly
drenched before we reached the
station of the Fernicolare, the gray
ity road up the steep mountain side,
which has been built by Messrs.
Cook & Co. This wire rope railway
is a great invention, rising as it
does at an angle of about forty-fve
degrees. The descending car sends
up the Otbe and the sensation must
| be somewhat similar to that OF a
beetle climbing up one of the Pyra-
mids. From the end of the railway
there is a steep climb, made more
difficult by the hot ashes into which
ones feet sink to the depth of sew
eral inches, while escaping steam
and sulphurous smoke from crevices
in the mountain side add to the gen
eral discomfort.
i At length, by the help of guides,
1 reached the top and gazed into a
huge black bowl filled with i'll smell
{ ing smoke. Had it been clear day
we might have seen a red glow at
| the bottom, l believe, but as it was,
t the view scarcely paid for the effort.
[ A hundred and fifty of Clark S party
, (who are, at present, in Italy: hav-
| ing come over for three months
:, cruise in the Celtic) made the ascent,
! also, and one Of my countrywomen
was much disguised at seeing sc
, little. a regular humbugl' she
said in a very disagreeable voice
Regular italian humbug!" l sup
! pose she expected to see a lake o
molten lava with perhaps some ex
ira fire. works for her benefit.
;. confess that faint wish came to my
/ mind that there might have been 9
f little eruption@-just to frighten hel
a bit. 1t is hard, at times, to be
. proud of all ones compatriots.
The descent is accomplished very
! quickly. We did not care to go over
the slippery road on horseback, sc
: we took a carriage to Resina (the
| ancient Herculaneum) and drove
5 from there to Pompeii. It is much
) better to drive from Naples directly
to the railway. | shall not advise
future travellers to try our mode ol
climbing Vesuvius.
81 Pompeii is extremely interesting
), with it's sad side, too though, as
t some one remarked, they would all
5 be dead now anyway. It must have
! been hard, however, to be struck
, down in the midst of life. in the JOY
of it, too, for they seemed to have
known well how to enjoy. On the
narrow streets paved with large
| rectangular blocks of tufa. are still
!, seen the deepru made by chariots
, the prints of hands and stones well
t worn show where thirsty travellers
, leaned to drink from ancient foun-
t tains; affairs. now exposed to wind
: and rain. stand as monuments to q
Il vanished religion; kitchens with
huge stoves on which still rest
+ brazen kettles; bread charred bni
, still recognizable and great am.