The San Francisco call., 1906-04-13

NAPLES. April 12.-While the news
from Mount Nesuvius today is reas-
surine- the conditions here are such as
10 make il difficult TO realize that con-
6itions are actually better. Inc Wlho
Is blowing from the volcano IN the oi-
rection of Naples. carrying the ashes
over the city Toward evening the
fan of ashes and cinders here was
worse than at any time since the erup-
tion began.
The scenic effects vary from hour
10 hour. Now. in the north, the SKY Is
chocolate-colored, lowering and heaNy'
under which men and women. with
their hair and clothing covered by
ashes. move about like gray ghosts
tso-t San. Martino. as IL towers above
the town. can only Just be seen, while
Castel Deliovo is boldly marked in
light. seemingly like silver against the
brown sky.
To the south, beyond the smoke zone,
lies smiling, sunny POsilipo and its Pc
ninsuIa, while far away glistens the
sea In deep blue, on which the ISLANDS
seepl-to float in the glow Of the setting
sun. Adding to the strange picture,
one Of the French men-of-war which
arrived in the bay OF Naples today is so
placed as TO be half in the glow and
half obscured by the belt Of falling
ashes.
No LIFE OR VEGETATION.
From the observatory of Mount We
suvius where Director Matteuccl Is
continuing his work in behalf Of
science and humanity, the scene is one
Of great impressiveness. To reach the
observatory one must walk for miles
over hardened but hot lava. covered
with sand, until he comes TO point
whence nothing can be seen but vast
gray reaches. sometimes fiat and some
times gathered into huge mounds,
which take on semblances 10 human
faces Above the heavens are gray like
the earth beneath and seem just as
hard and immovable-
In all this lonely waste there is no sign
Of life or vegetation and no sound is
heard except the low mutterings OF the
volcano. One seems almost impelled TO
scream aloud TO break the horrible still
ness OF a land seemingly forgotten both
by God and man.
Every day that passes gives new evi-
dence Of the magnitude Of the catastro-
phe Today's visit of King Victor En-
manuel 10 Ottajano revealed new trag-
edfes At a certsin point his Majesty was
Obliged to abandon his motor car and go
forward on horseback amid constant
danger. his horse 1ioundering through
four feet Of ashes, stumbling into holes.
blinded by the fall of large cinders and a
target for falling basaltic masses. In
the presence Of the King l29 more bodies
were extricated from the ruins. while
white ashes and red sand continued as
though determined not to relinquish their
victims. The dead at Ottajano are said
10 number $50.
KING REBUKES A PRIEST.
The King was deathly pale. To q
priest who came 70 him he asked:
How did YOU escape?'
Il placed myself in safety" replied
the priest.
What do you mean?" asked the King.
'Bealizing the danger" was the priest 8
reply. Il had left for Nola."
The King flushed with anger.
What you. a minister OF God. were
not here 70 share the danger Of your
people and administer the last sacra-
ments? You did very wrong
Queen Helene was with the King when
he started for Ottajano, but she was
obliged TO turn back. as the task was one
not suitable for a woman. She spent the
most of the day in visiting the injured in
Naples hospitals and inspecting the
houses provided for refugees.
The Princess Of Schleswig-Holstein set
out in ner automobile this morning to
visit the hospitals in the isolated towns
but after q time the motor car became
disabled and she was forced to return or
foot a distance Of twelve miles. walking
through three feet Of ashes. The Prin-
cess endurance surprised the Neapoli-
tars. some Of whom declared that she
must have been aided by the saints, fol