Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-07-10

astrophes on Martinique and st. Vincent,
students Of the classics must have been
reminded Of those famous two letters of
the younger Pliny to the historian. Taci-
tus. In which he gives the details Of that
eruption Of Vesuvius in August Of the
year 70 A. D., which destroyed and buried
Pompeii, and in which the letter wri-
ter's uncle lost his life in exactly the
same manner-by suffocation-in which so
many found death in the West Indian is
lands last month. Indeed. with but the
change of names the description Of those
letters OF the first century might be APP
piled to this disaster Of the 10Th.
Following are the principal parts of the
two letters, which are numbered 16 and
% in the sixth book OF Pliny's collected
epistles. The translation used is that OF
the Earl Of Orrery. as published in a Lon
don edition of 1752:
You are DESTROYS that I should give
you an account OF the death OF my uncle,
that you may be enabled TO transmit II
TO posterity with the greater truth. re-
turn you thanks. foresee that his death,
when celebrated by you, must procure
eternal honor TO his name; for, although
his fall was attended by the destruction
Of most beautiful territories, seeming, as
IL were destined to be remembered equal
~ with those nations and cities who per
ish by some memorable event; although
he had compiled works both numerous
and lasting. yet the Immortality of your
writings win lengthen out the charac-
ter which he has established to himself.
He was at Misenum. where he had the
command of a fleet, which was sta
toned there. On the ninth OF the calends
OF September august ~ about the sew
enth hour q o'clock my mother Informed
him that a cloud appeared Of unusual
having rnnOgeO
himself in the sun and used the cold bath,
he had tasted a slight repast, and was
returned TO his studies; he Immediately
called for HIS sandals and repaired to
higher point Of view, from whence he
might more plainly discern this prodigy.
The cloud (the spectators could not dis
tingTish at a distance from what noun
tain Il arose, but Il was afterwards found
TO be Nesuvius) advanced in height nor
can give you a more just representation
of II than the form OF a pine tree; for
springing up in a direct line, Ike a tan
trunk, the branches were widely distend-
ed. believe, while the vapor was fresh, II
more easily assembled. but when that
vapor was waited the cloud became loose;
or, perhaps, oppressed by its own gravity,
diiated itself into a greater breadth.
cat times Il appeared bright and other
times black and spotted, according to the
quantities of earth and ashes mixed with
Il This was a surprising circumstance,
and It deserved, IN the opinion of that
learned man, to be inquired into more
exactly. He commanded Thurman gal
lev 10 be prepared for him, and made me
an offer OF accompanying him IL pleased.
I replied II was more agreeable TO me
to pursue my studies. and, as II happened,
he had allotted me something at that
time to write. He went out OF the house
with his tablets in his hand. The mari
- . .ef- faofr a.
ton at the approaching danger Cor that
village was situated under the mountain
nor were there any means of escaping,
but by seal, entreated him not to ven
ture upon so hazardous an enterprise. He
continued firm TO his resolution, and per-
formed. with great fortitude Of mind
what he had at first undertaken from
thirst Of knowledge.
HE commanded the galley to put on
from land, and embarked with design
not only to relieve the people Of Retinae,
but many others in distress, as the shore
was interpreted with a variety Of pleas
ant villages. He sailed Immediately to
places which were abandoned by other
people, and boldly held his course in the
face Of the danger. so composed as to re-
mark distinctly the appearance and prog
ress of this dreadful calamity, and to d.
gest and dictate those remarks.
HE now found that the ashes beat
into the ships much hotter and in greater
quantities; and, as he drew nearer. pum-
ice stones, with black fiints, burnt and
torn up by the flames. broke in upon
them; and now the hasty ebb Of the sea
and ruins tumbling from the mountain
hindered their approach to the shore.
Pausing a little upon this, whether he
should not return back, and instigated to
II by the pilot, he cries out: Fortune as
sists the brave; let us make the best of
-, De- NH
at Stabiae, and lay opposite TO bay, into
which the sea, creeping gently along that
winding coast, insinuates itself. Pompo-
nianus, although not in immediate peril,
yet seeing IL plainly, and finding II ap-
preaching fast, was putting his baggage
on board some vessels, with a design of
making his escape by sea, whenever the
contrary wind should abate. My uncle
arriving with a fair wind at this place,
embraced, comforted and encouraged his
trembling friend; and, to effect this, SEEM
ed himself to be under no kind Of appre-
hension; but, ordering his servants to
carry him to the bath, when he had bath
ed went 20 supper, either with a real
cheerfulness, or what is equally the sign
Of a great mind. the appearance OF It.
'In the meantime flames issued from
various parts OF Mount Vesuvius and,
spreading wide and towering to a great
height, made a vast blaze, the glare and
horror OF which were still increased by
the gloominess OF the night.
MY uncle. to move the general fear,
said that the blaze was occasioned by the
village being on fire, which were now de-
serted by the country people. Then. re-
firing to take his rest, he enjoyed a sound
sleep; for. being Of a gross and corpulent
habit of body, he was heard to snore by
those who waited upon him. The court,
beyond which was his apartments, by this
time was so filled with cinders and pumice
stones that, had he continued any longer
I'm his room. his passage from 1t would
have been stopped up. Being awakened
therefore he quilted his chamber and re-
turned to Pomponianus and the rest,
whose fears had hindered them from
sleeping, and who had been upon the
watch. They consulted together, whether
II would be more advisable to keep under
the shelter OF that roof or retire into the
fields; for the house tottered to and fro,
as IL II had been shaken from the foun-
dalton by the frequent earthquakes. On
the other hand they dreaded the stones,
which, by being burnt into cinders, al
though they fell with no great weight,
yet fell in large quantities. But, after
considering the different hazards, which
they run, the advice of going out pre-
vailed; in others. one kind OF fear con-
quered another; in my uncle, one pruden-
tial reason only succeeded to another.
They covered their heads with pill
lows hound with naDkfns. this mas their