Year: 1874

]
which ran below those rents that have
deep surfaces. A couple of hun
dred acres were covered over by the
eruption of 1872, in places to depth
of several hundred feet.


THE VIEW FROM THE HERMITAGE
is magnificent. The whole Bay of
Naples is spread out before one like
a map, and visible at a glance for a
circuit of so miles of undulating
shore line, changing from mountain
to valley, and peak to glen, with all
the islands which fringe the bay in
full view at the same time. In
the foreground, stretching along the
side, and swelling over the shoulder
of Mont PosolippO, which angles
off northwgrd into the plain, is the
great City of Naples; its high walls,
white, orange, and lemon-colored,
sparkle m the sun, rejecting back
its rays like mirror; while round
the back may be counted dozen
bright villages on mouBtain-sides
half hidden in valleys; while away to
the northward spreads the great
plain on which Naples subsists, stud
ded with white and orange-colored
towns, with the snow-capped Appe-
mines for background, 80, 40, so,
miles away. 1t is a view nowhere
to be surpassed, and not easily to be
forgotten.


The next stage of the ascent is
made on horseback, for about mile
up steep, difficult path of lava and
loose scorie. The tough little sure
footed horses are led by the guides,
and it is surprising how they can
climb up or get down some parts of
the road. We are now at the foot
of the cone, which rises up before
one, steep as a church-bell, for the
height of 200 feet. At first view
it seems impossible to make the
"climb."


Already it is colder, and a sharp
north wind whistles about ones
ears at this point-half a mile above
the plain below. Chairs with four
stout native carriers to each, are
provided to assist the ladies and
such of the gentlemen as cannot
make the ascent unaided. For my
own part, l had committed the
grave mistake of not engaging
mustang to be at the hermitage to
bear me to the foot of the cone.
From the valley below, it seemed but
little distance along the crest of a
black ridge to the bottom of the
"steep place." but l found it to be
long mile, and


THE HARDEST MILE


the undersigned had ever walked.
The t'rise" in that distance was near
ly ], 1000 feet-down and up, but
mostly 'shup," as an Englishman
said. Where the path was not sharp
lava it was yielding sand, the grains
about the size of wheat or peas.


When the foot of the cone was
reached 1 was badly fatigued, and
the ascent looked perfectly appal-
ling. But the guide had brought
along, unbidden, an extra chair and
carriers, and with chagrin l am con-
strained to confess, was obliged to
make more than half the ascent
borne on mems shoulders. An able
bodied young man, with good knees
for that is the part which first
gives out-can mount to the top in
an hour and half. But our party
were fully two hours in scrambling
and riding by turns to the edge of the
crater. Most of the path is over the
aforementioned lava gravel or sand,
and the foot slips back half the dis
tanee of the step forward, which
greatly adds to the distress of the
ascent, but makes all the fun in COM
ing down, as one can run or roll
down on the soft, yielding stuff,
without injury or danger.


The angle or declivity is As deg.
but, in places where the lava rock
protrudes, it is more than 60 deg.
of "steepness;" and at such spots
the ladies must get out of their
chairs, and be pulled and pushed up
by the carriers, who are sure footed
as goats, and as noisy and chattering
as monkeys, and what they say is no
more Ineligible.


At last we are on


THE TOP OF vEsUvIUs,


three-fourths of mile above the
bay, enveloped in cloud of vapor,
smelling strong of sulphur. The
north side of the cone was covered
with snow. A>cutting wind swept
past, making ones teeth rattle, and
bringing overcoats and shawls into
immediate requisition. We climbed
up the southerly side of the cone,
and therefore, did not much feel the
wind or cold until the crest was gain
ed. The guides took us to the lee
side of projecting crag, where a
basket of bread, cheese, and wine
had been deposited by a carrier
Everybody was hungry, tired, and
out of breath-carriers and all; so
the contents of the hamper quickly
vanished. After resting a while, we
started to get peep into the "bot-
tomless pit" But the view was not
satisfactory. A dense, cloudy vapor
impregnated with sulphur rose from
she chasm, and hid the hideous hole.
The cloud rolled down the south
easterly side of the cone for some
distance, and completely shut out
of sight the location of Pompeii
and all the plain round it. Occa-
sionally a sudden change in the di-
rectiCn of the wind, or a downward
whirl of air, would afford short
glimpse of the crater. There were
no flames or fire vlsible-nothing
but jutting crags, incrusted with
white and yellow birthstone, tinted
red and blue. The guides tumbled
small rocks into the chasm, which
could be heard to rattle and reverber-
ate for long time-proving the


GREAT DEPTH OF THE PIT.


As the time approaches for an
eruption, the crater fills up; and it is
deepest just after one.


There is very narrow margin,
L IL