A risiT TO VESUVIUS.
for A'wry 8alurlay from th Allot-
mtn Zeitung.
The two points of Attraction of my last
Julian journey lay above on Veanvina and
llow in subterranean Rome. In the Roman
eataoombs we had for oar distinguished gable
prince of the Church, who devotes himself
to their investigation in conjunction and alter
nately with Rosei. The great results of snob,
studies are now known, and a more natural
and correct picture of the firBt centuries of
Christendom is produced than those obscure
representations of death-like paleness and
the darkness of the grave. I wished on
Vesuvius, ten times over, for a scientific guide.
Bow many dark secrets lie petrified around
H I Longingly I thought, amid the smoke and
roaring of the volcano, of my honored teacher
at Gottingen who enlivened hiB Bparkhug
geological lectures with a poetical intuition.
Another new source of rich rocollectiona I now
found in Italy. Hut this Hy neither above nor
beneath the earth; the boat pait of it floated,
as in Kaulbach's Uittle of the linns, in the
air. It was the spirits of the old Ootlis, who,
over the ruins of their royal city of Ravenna,
over the half-buried tomb of Theodoric, ovor
that wide, Bolitary pine forest by the solitary
pea, go hither and thither in the air, mourn
ing and sighing that they were slain bo soon.
Yet, always unsatisfied, they cannot quit the
tight of that beautilul land in which Gothic
virtue was at least able to establish permanent
forms of government.
Yet of Ravenna and the cataoombs perhaps
another time; now I would tell of oar visit to
Vesuvius.
"We had actually given it up. The mountain
was too uneasy. As soon as it was dusk in
Naples, the red tuft of flame shone upon its
heights, threatening and solemn. All night
through one saw every couple of minutes
the summit veiled in smoke and fire. In
I'ompeii every one said, it is exceedingly
dangerous impossible to' climb up to the
crater. Travellers who had come down from
the mountains had scarcely seen anything but
the current oflava which had broken out at
the cone of ashes. There did not seem to be
sufficient to compensate U3, that I should ask
my lady companion to uudergo the pain and
fatigue which I was able to appreciate from a
fernier ascent. We went, therefore, from
Pompeii as far as Sorrento.
For those who do not wish to go to Sicily,
there is no more beautital resting-place on the
Italian journey than Sorrento. Oar entrance
was favored. UJoie the gates of the city
Signor Oargiulo the proprietor of the Cocu
mella in which I had spent so many pleasant
days live years before met us. The host
reoognized and greeted me immediately. The
great flower-terrace, with its rooms, wa3
vacant, the house not too full. A few minutes
later we were surrounded by the refreshing
shade, the fresh scent of flowers, and the deep,
unchanging quiet which fill, this house on
the shore, distinguished among all the splen
did spots on the earth. Au ! what heavenly
days of repose were those again in Sorrento 1
Our terrace projected like an elevated hall.
far out into the orange-garden, over whose
green tops one looked into the blue sparkling
Bea. From the green woods aiouud, from the
Bcreen of flowers on tLe terrace, rise inex
haustible perfumes; from the sea floats np
eternal freshness. But the Gulf of Naples
is grand enough to be prevalently sublime
and beautiful. The shore opposite, with the
green mountain behind, the strand beneath as
if sown with pearl, the blue pointed heads of
the islands swimming in the pure ether, all
combines to form the most magnificent tableau,
and all is as if drowned in splendor, and sur
rounded by eternal rest. One observes not
how time passes, in looking aud thinning.
And this Bea so sparkling and so lovely !
When we sat below between the rocks, how
beautiful were the green waves in their swell
ing and murmuring, aud so clear au 1 trans
parent even beneath their mirror to the mossy
rocks below, down to the gloomy depths out
of which the white shells sparkled. The sua
goes on its eternal course in the lofty firma
ment, the shadows grow longer; suddenly all
the water Bwims in a red glow, and then a
mist sinks down, and the rippling aud whis-
peringand plashing of the waves become louder
yes, it is evening; one has not observed the j
passing of the day in this cool rest aud
quiet, where no thoughts throw any sha
dows of sttife into the heart, aud the I
Boul is bright and clear to the bottom,
as the wide, warm, blue ether around, 1
and the illuminated depths of the Bea.
Only a little disquietude ever again returned;
it was Vesuvius even, whioh looked down so
proud in its might, bo challenging. As the
ruler of the gulf it had already met us when
we desoended at Capua from the coach. How
beautiful and magnificent he stretched up
wards, clothed in the purest velvet blue like a
prince's mantle, the white cloud of smoke
like a crown on his head! When we role
down, two evenings later, from Camaldoli,
And the sun was setting, the entire mountain
seemed drowned in rosy light, just as if a
mild inward glow had broken out on every
Bide. And now he thundered sullenly through
: the silence of Sorrento, and now he threw up
his sheaves of flame into the night. A giant
of the gloomy primeval ages, he projected into
the gentle present, dark, mysterious, and
hostile to man. The volcano oocupled the
mind even when one was not lookiug at it.
On the fourth evoning we made a sudden reso
lution, and a quick three-horse team brought
ns speedily the four hours' journey to Poin-
peii a lovely drive in the night through
' blooming fragrant gardens, or down by the
sea beneath loity lius irom which the white
towns threw down their lights on the quiet
mirror of the gulf.
.When we came through Castellamare there
. were great illumination and splendid fire
works. They were celebrating the anniver
sary of the Constitution. 1 ive years before I
had joined in the celebration at Naples. Hince
then Italy has improved little, the people here
are more industrious and cleaner, but there
they have grown terribly wilder, the eutire
world of orli 'eholders mirth more thievish, and
yet five years had attain parsed aud no ground
Lad been lost, but Venice gained. So mourn-
fully, so despairingly did the best look into
the future, to see if the uuity of Italy
should endure, yet iu this they were all
united. What will tUU country be in live
years more f The ravens of ill fortune still Bit
on- the hedge and prophesy what id to come
and does not.
Let ns leave them on their hedge. Please
Ood, they may also scream themselves hoarse
in Germany! .-,
The groups of happy ones in Castellamare
- gave me muoh pleasure. All the people were
' abroad, thronging round the lighted stalls;
very one was rejoicing and jumping and
laughing like children of Christmas night.
How splendid the old women looked when
they pnt their heads together around the
glow of the frying pans. Many oontend that
Germany, and particularly England, have
more beautiful maidens than Italy. When it
TUB DAILY E
comes to tb crowd of
this in indeed true, at lo
crowd of rretty country cirl t.
nast for many par: s f
the German world. The most beautiful ol t
women, however, Italy certainly has; the!.
one is always more picturesque than another.
It was late in the night when we arrived at
the well-known inn "To Diomed," which lies
close to the gates of Pompeii. One ti a la a
lodging at need there. The upper room opens
on a broad balcony. Wre stepped out. Tbe
wide starry heaven shone and sparkled with
great power and brilliancy. The millions of
stars looked down so earnestly and solemnly,
and yet the night was so unspeakably mild
and beautiful, full of softly breathing psr
fnmes, of secret charms, as if beneath the veil
'of tbe gentle darkness were hid many sweet
secrets. The old experience occurred to me,
that Italy gives us Northerners a piece of the
magical charms and perils of the Tropics.
Nature here chinos so cordially near us,
yet in 'her gentle embrace lies something
which softly seies on the nerves of the soul,
and dissolves thought and will in delightful
sensation.
Next morning we departed at daybreak. It
was a wonderful morning, the 27th April,
fresh and colored .and bright everywhere.
April, the Italian month of flowers, had not
brought us this year much good; it had been a
very damp April in IUme, a bitter northern
companion. Hut these laHt day3 at the Bty
were like the finest May days with ns, only
interwoven with Italy's golleu sun and her
wealth of flowers. The roses blossomed upon
hedges aud walls. The broad cactuses and
aloes shone leaden green in the sun, and the
houses seemed burled iu vine leaves.
In liosco tre Case the people put their heads
out of the windows, and my oompanion often
received a fiiendly "Karly up, early up!
Itlla roiMi.'" Hut scarcely had we left the
town behind us than thiee men with cords
and sticks came trotting by our side. I knew
the fellows from old experience, and prepared
myself for an endless clatter of words to the
top of Vesuvius. It did not last long, how
ever; we saw them moving up to the moun
tain, grey points on the dark ground. They
seemed so lazy, yet proceeded so rapidly.
The vineyards accompanied us far np the
heights, when the guides and horses had been
long since wading iu lava gravel. Wherever
there was an opening in the black lava rub
bish a pair of vines spread their green leaves
in the dry desert. At length they ceased,
here and there were stiil to bd found coarse
tufts of grass. Even these Boon beoame
scarcer, and gradually we were surrounded
by the black waste. Nature, when she
rages in her primitive fury, tcrrifijs us as
with evil, man-hating powers, but nowhere
do her traces seem to le&lly ugly, so adverse
to all our senses, as on the bare lava fields.
In tie meantime we still advanced pretty
rapidly. The line of Vesuvius when seen from
Sorrento is exceedingly beautiful; it goes up
and down in one pure delineation. As beau
tiful as the mountain appears to the eye, as
easy is it to ride up, because it rises every
where gently and uniformly. One is on a con
siderable height before one suspects it, and
the view back on the splendid plains below
becomes always wider and more magnificent.
While the lava ileldj at Bosco tre Case have
been formed since fifty years, we came in an
hour and a half to a species of small plateau
where two streams of lava crosB one auother,
one of which was still cmoking a little. This
one was a fortnight old, the other had lljwcl
more than twenty years before.
From this out it became steeper, and our
horses had to take hold in earnest. "Maca
roni ! Macaroni !" was the cry with whioh the
guides urged them on. Thii word, which
exercises the greatest charm on the people,
must also touud joy fully in the ears of their
horses. Nevertheless they were oruolly
beaten. Italians, like American?, treat their
animals like machines, which feel nothing. I
had to think ot an esteemed lady friend of
mine in Rome, who, in the goodness of her
heart, had founded an asylum for old horses,
iu order that they might not be whipped to
death under the Droskies. A revolting spec
tacle was by this means removed from the
streets; but the Italians laughed at the waste
of money, and a priest was not a little indig
nant because horses had no souls of their
own ! Our poor horses panted and clambered
up slowly and began to stumble. We were
heartily glad wheu the halting-place was
reached and we alighted. If you fall here with
your horse you will not escape coatusion-9,
because the pieces of lava are as sharp as glass
aud iron.
The three men, who were waiting at the
halting-plase, rushed towards us to hold our
hones and oiler sticks and cords. As we had
two men with us, we did not need so many
services, and then began that wild play of
grimaces, protestations, and oaths which are
meant to soften or frighten the stranger.
They conjured us in a stream of words, 11 they
had Bhorteued their sweet night's rests for
nothing and nothing only T Merely on our
account had they got up so early. Therefore
we should be grateful and considerate to them.
Ab I proceeded on, only laughing and jesting
with them, all five followed us, and one cried
louder than another. But the higher we
mounted the more civil they beoame, and at
last all was pleasant and satisfactory, when
my wife seized on the cord of one and allowed
hereftlf to be dragged along. Then the other
stayed behind, aud wibhed us friendly a good
journey.
One could easily make the last pieoe of the
way passable for horses; for the present asoeut
from Pompeii, which ij frequently, as it were,
paved with pieces of lava, is not to ba com
pared with the former cone ot ashes. For a
lady, it is always a laborious task to olimb
up between ashes aud broken stoues aud
blocks. Even a man must often stop to take
breath, because the air is so warm. How
ever, the whole Is child's play to that which a
chamois hunter goes through on the chase
with his rifle on his shoulder. Our moun
tains, indeed, are quite silent. Ascendiug
the heights of Yesuviui, one has, on the con
trary, the unpleasaut fueling as if the broad
back of a black living mounter were risiug up
under one's feet, aud one were climbing np to
his jaws.
"At length," said the guide, "we are on the
top; no further can we go." Not at all agree
ably en prised, I saw a considerable mountain
on my left, on whose summit it unceasingly
emoked, rattled, thundered, and discharged
huge fragments of ashes aud stones up to the
sky. Before ns, rouud the foot of this hoad
of Vesuvius, towards the side which is turned
from the sea, wai a long break like a narrow
smoking terrace, covered with ashes aud
pieces of lava aud streaks of yellow sulphu
rous dust. From here down the streams of
lava had poured quite recently into the val
ley, which formerly opened deep between the
Somma and the cone of ashes. The sharp
reefs of the rJomma still, indeed, projeoted,
but at tbtdr feet now lay heaped-up disorder
like the remains of a fr'ghtful deluge of black
rubbi&h, sand, and stones. Also here above
all was changed. Five years ago Vesuvius
had a broad flat summit, in the middle of
which was sunk the circular crater. Of this
summit onlr the edge seemed to me to be left,
on which we struggled forward, and the new
cone of eruption near us had lifted itself out
of the old crater. What was formerly a
mountain of ashes now showed itself covered
with hardened stream of lava. One could
also see by the flying stones which poured out
s KG TELEGRAPH rillLADELPIIIA, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY
thickly at the edge of the new summit, tW
there no flat surface any longer Surrounded
the crater.
It was a real land of hell into which we
three were steering, all full of auvike, whiea
now curled npwardo, and new rolled lazily
away, all black or grey or sulphurous yel
low, rubbish, ashes, and fragments thrown
up above one another as high as a hous, aud
from the thnnderer and rattler on the top
new stoues and block were continually fall
ing down. The ground was hot every where,
and if one only pushed away a piece with the
foot the warm vapor immediately poured out.
A glance backwards, when the smoke divided
in the glittering landscape, on the light blue
gulf beneath, it was as If from hell into pura
dioe. Only the devil's kitchen wa? here high
above, while one thinks usually of the dear
angels being in the blue atmosphere.
We first came to a circular gurgliug hole of
about ten feet in diameter, from whioh poured
out steam and warm sulphurous air. Oue
looked down into the black gulf as into a
round Bmoking chimney. Pieces of lava,
which 1 threw down, gave no sound of striking
against anything. Thus, far greater than the
opening above is the interior excavation, as if
It were covered with a ciust. Were bandits to
visit now, as they did five years ago, the
heights of Vesuvius, they would find th's
Very convenient if they wished to destroy th
traces of some murderous robbery. For what
is thrown into this gulf is doubtless consumed
in a moment, skin and bones, by the glowing
mass in its depths. For the rest, Lower Italy
breathes now a little more freely from the ban
dit plague. It its place other murderers arise,
much more numerous, those who slay in the
streets. It happens mostly frompoliticalhatred,
but not seldom from greed of gain, envy, and
revenge for an injury. The boldness of the
murderer increases daily as the general wild
ness increases. Not in the number aud
audacity of such crimes lies the greatest evil,
but in the cowardice with which they are
tolerated. Italy, indeed, has in these last
years presented thousands enough who went
courageously into the rain of bullets, and
fought like heroes for their ideal; but if any
one is stabbed or shot maliciously on the open
street, the murderer escapes without a hand
being stretched after him; aud, if the ollicers
appear, no one will know the unfortunate
ono who is lying in his blood, even if he were
known by every child around. That is indeed
a cowardice which lies in the core.
When we had gone a few Steps farther, the
guide pointed to a living ft ream before us.
It seemed from the distance like black streaks
and shadows rrvicg away rapidly iu a vapor.
To come up to it, we had to pass through a
little hollow. The guide lifted and helped my
wife quickly over it. I stumbled a moment;
it was but a second that I had bent my head,
but I thought I should have fallen lifeless, so
stifling were the hot fumes of the sulphur. At
the edge of the lava stream, we had before us,
as it were, a breaking up of black floes, be
tween which the red-hot maas looked out
gloomily. The heat was terrible, for the
opening, from whioh the stream proceeded,
was only a hundred steps further up. As we
wished to go to it,and the guide sa wthat niyoom
panion had courage enough, he seized her agaiu
under the arm, and the uncouth-looking
man led and lifted her skilfully and atten
tively over the clods and blocks whioh had
very sharp edges. We had to make a little
circuit, which again lei ns through frightful
sulphurous vapors, aud then clambered np to
the warm edge, until we stood close before tbe
oven which vomited for the the red hot stream,
l'lie lava came just like a stream from a steep
mountain, which breaks out suddenly without
any grotto or cave, and flows down rapidly.
On its exit from the mountaiu the mass wa3
glowing red; but in the air the surface began
to harden immediately, and break np iito
black scales and pieces.
Never shall I forget the quarter of an hour
which I spent at this lava fountain. The
crater was Btraight above us, and did its work
with hellish magnifioenoe. Every two or three
minutes there was a shove through the clouds
of steam which veiled the summit. Before
this every time a dull roaring went on, as if
deep in the earth, the latter began to iremoie
gently, then followed hiseing and gurgling,
then rose whistling, rattling, thundering in
numerable stones and blocks in a perpendicu
lar line to the sky with inoredible rapidity,
whirling clouds of ashes aud steaim between.
High in the air all Bpreai out, and fell back
into the orater like rain. Often the ashes were
blown towards ns; thousands of stones also
fell over the walls of the crater, and danced
and tumbled down the heights, many times
huge blocks rolled to our very feet. All
went as if by time, just as regularly as the
work of a colossal steam-kttle, which,
indeed, would have to be four thousand
feet high, and of iuoonoeivable breadth
at the bottom. It was as if subterranean
water was entering the fire mountain by miu
uteB and seconds, changed into steam, aud
thrown out with all the rubbish whioh was in
the chimney. Whenever there were two fee
bler eruptions, one was certain to follow which
was eo much the more powerful, and which
stood for a moment in the air like a gigantio
black tuft. I cannot tell how this slow, sol
emn measure moved me, in whioh the moat
enormous powers of nature were here work
ing, llow often have I iu the silent night
leaned overboard and watched the regular
heaving and sinking of the ocean ! As for
merly on the sea, here en the raging volcano
I was filled with a presage of the immutable
swinging hither and thither of the ever rest
less, ever equal pendulum, by which the im
measurable universe does its work.
The wind, which had hitherto driven the
clouds of Bteam away from us, changed some
what its direction. Suddenly we breathed in
sulphurous vapors, soarcely could we see the
ground. More quickly than we had ascended,
we hastened back to the point of exit. Tim re
the air was free, and the wonderful prospect
unspeakably refreshing and beneficial.
I had observed that the eruptions fell only
over one part of the summit, and that the
clouds which veiled the crater had, moreover,
longer interstices between them. I therefors
proposed to the guide that we should go from
the place where we now saw the movement of
the lava only from a distance up to the last
height. lie refused, however, most decidedly.
"It is much too dangerous when the ruouu
tain is as uneasy as it is n w. lie would not
take the responsibility. A stranger who had
gone up three days before had rtnrued with
a shattered arm, halt dead, struck by a falling
block of lava. What did we want on the
summit 1 We could not reach it under half
an hour, and we could not see a particle ou
the top from the smoke and clouds."
As the guide persisted in his refusal, there
remained nothing for ns iu the rneau time but
to breakfast. Stretched on the warm ashes,
we let our eyes wander over the splendid
plains beneath. How the gulf shone 1 Uow
the mountain peaks projeoted deep bine into
the pure ether! Before and 'beneath us the
true air of heaven, like a sea of deep, pure
water, so enticing and so lovely that one
might wish for a swing to rook oneself aud
float in this pure element, and then a hot
fume of sulphur came suddenly out of the
black waste behind ns, full of smoke and
vapor and fnry. Before us the air glittered
with splendor aud clearness, and if we turned
. round we could see it trembling over the
hellish oven, just as the air with us iu winter
trembles over the hot stoves.
On the whole Side of the mountaiu the dif
ferent streams of hard lava stretched clear
down. The stream which had poured down
on this side a fortnight before had remained
on half the height of the monntain, aud
stretched over the grey fields of ashns like a
broad river of black clods aud pieces. Deeper
beneath, the older lava had formed a dark
lake in the green pastures. Still farther dowu
lay the ruins of Pompeii, wniou naa linoeauea
itself right in the midst of a fruitful semi
circle, beautifully bounded by hill and sea.
Yet the eye was always drawn away from
the land as by a sparkling masi of light to the
gulf and its shining snrtaoe. Here, dep
feneath us, tbe Bteep Incline of Vesuvius rose
straight up from the mirror of the sea. At
both sides the rocky coasts and, opposite, the
strand of the islands, were surrouuded by a
wist like a thin silver veil, bat high above,
throned in the blue sky, sharply notched,
rose on the left the high-peaked Mont Angelo;
in the middle, the huge rock of Capri, lying
Btraight before the gulf, on the right, the
proud royal head ot the Kpomeo at lochia. On
a sharper examination, white points sparkled
through the whitish mist the castle
of St. Elmo, Nisita, Vivara, Procida,
lochia. Here, in this joy and splen
dor of the earth, men found it forever neces
sary to add one prison to another in order
to chain the volcanio outbreaks of the BuDar
ing people. Far behind and between the
islands and promontories, which are crowned
with forts and prisons, the midland sea
sparkled clearly. But it was rarely that a
white Bail was ,eeen passing over it into the
gulf. The finest bay in the world is from
morning to evening as deserted and solitary as
if its Bhores were occupied by poor fishermen's
villages, and not by a capital of half a million
of men. To sea ! to sea ! thither roll all the
good fates of Italy. If this land is to be healed
and made eound, its inhabitants must learn to
move on the sea, to build ships, to found
mercantile associations, and to seize again on
the trade of the Levant. But where shall
men of enterprise come among this psople,
who always hang their little provision-bag
around their necks, aud think of nothing the
entire day but how to fill it in the morning
and empty it in the evening? Must one
wait lor more ship-owners and merchants
from other peoples to settle on these shores,
to send out fleets of trading vessels ou the
sea? In this the Italians could even learu
from the Greeks, whose lively aotivity on the
eea leaves them already far behind, in spite
of old Turkish oppression and new English
envy.
Yet also in our vicinity there was something
to see. Around our breakfast-place there
swarmed little narrow chafers of a dark brown
color, like those one finds with us under
every loose stone. How came they up 1 When
one scratched the allies with a stick, a couple
of them would fall dead immediately from the
hot exhalation. Ihey had not, therefore,
crawled up. Neither could their larva; have
lain among the old rubbish: for the ashes,
which had covered it. had come too lately from
the crater above us. J tie chafers must.
therefore, have been, while flying for they
had wmg-Bheaths taken in swarms by a oat-
rent of air, and carried up the mountain. S ill.
their great number remains enigmatical. This
swarming little life near the hot jaws of deso
lation !
When our breakfast was eaten, and our
guide appeared in better humor, I again urged
in in to attempt climbing up the mountain
Again, with every appearance of terror, he
reiustd, and implored us to come some other
day, when the mountain was quieter. I asked
him what he would do if we went up without
him ? Then he would wait two hours, he said,
and if we did not come back, he would go
down and give notice. As my wife, also, had
long been convinced that there was no danger,
we began to climb up. It was not so difficult,
because the ground, although very hot in
some places, consisted less of loose ashes than
of stones and a new kind of sulphur-cakes.
On looking back, I saw that our good Curzo
Dominica so our guide was called had seated
himself tranquilly. But when we entered the
clouds he pprang up Budlenly, was with us in
a few bounds, aud played again the diligent
and obliging servant, picking his way skil
fully between the yellow heaps of sulphur.
In less than ten minutes we were on the top.
As if stunned, we stood in the beginning at
the howling and raging and crashing before
us and beneath us. We looked as if from the
eharp edge of a wild uptorn chain of moun
tains down into a huge black gulf, full of
steam, from which boiling currents of air and
black masses were thrown up. By degrees,
when the clouds divided a little, the outlines
became clearer and the view more quiet for
observation. It was the most frightful, and
at the same time most magnificent soene
one of those spectacles whioh fix themselves
powerfully in the memory aud remain henoe
forth indestructible, justas when one has seen
for the first time the great ocean in a wild
Btorm and tempest.
Five years before, as already remarked, the
orater was on the level summit of the moun
tain, in the middle of whioh it formed a beau
tiful wide circle. Its inner walls shone in
every color, diversified and hung with the
most beautiful crystals of sulphur, green and
red and yellow and brown. The bottom was
a level ground of ashes and sulphur; here aud
there a little cleft showed itself, out of which
steam drizzled up. The whole was an empty
kettle of immense diameter snnk into the flat
head of the mountain, quite empty, and with
beautiful yellow sides.
It was now altogether different. The crater
seemed much smaller and much less deep, but
it had black fissured walls with sharp reefs,
just like the Somma when seen from below.
A deep and black nptorn mountain peak would
give the best idea of it. The ground, how
ever, was level as formerly, and oovered with
ashes and sulphur. In the 11 wr of the crater,
straight below us, was a large rouud hole,
exactly in the middle, out of which there was
a constant hissing and gurgling. A yellow
brown mass seemed to be cooking and steam
ing inside. On the other side, below, in the
crater, stood a new mountain of ashes of
regular form, which almost reached to the
top of the highest reef. From the mouth ou
the top of this cone, which Becmed to be only
composed of aidies, came the thundering aud
cracking and the eruptions, during which the
entire month of the crater seemed coutiuuilly
to tremble.
To get so close to the volcano to look as it
were, into its chimney, had quite a peculiar
1 attraction. It looked magnificent, as the
thousands of clods and frAgmeuts came rush
ing out, as just so many black rockets rose iu
the air, and separated high up, tu order to
fall back into the abyss or to be hurled over
the walls of tbe orater. Yet I was seized with
a elijiht shudder when aooaple of fragments
fell close to the spot where we had hitherto
stood, on the declivity near the lava foun
tain. Here above we were out of the reaoh of
the rain of stones. Danger would only be in
curred if one rashly stepped into the orater
over the pointed cliffs. Then the crust of
lava or ashes would break, aud one would go
down and never be seen again. Oue would be
killed in a moment by the hot fumes of tho
sulphur, livery one should therefore take
good care not to forget the direction of the
r, 1869
wind, lest, when the vapors surround him,
he might Jump some feet deeper into the crater.
Tbe fumes were at last too strong for nfl,
and In a few steps we were safe again. Then
we went Jumping and runuing and sliding
down the mountain, the last reward for the
troublesome ascent. Tbe people at tbe halting
place called out to ns their good wishes, and
the guide who was with our horses quickly
brought out fresh shoes, as those my com
panion had on her ieei were not worm muuu.
The horses, after their rest, brought us
quickly to the breakfast and good Capri wine
at the "Diomed," and three hours later we
were (gain in Naples. When we came out of
tbe San Carlo", about mmnignt, ana Vesuvius
was doing his beBt to fire and to lighten, he no
longer seemed to us nearly so threatening and
teriible. We had seen the great lord when
close to him.
INSURANCE COMPANIES.
UNITED SECURITY
LI I E I N S V 11 A N O 13
AJHD TRIM
COIVlPArtY,
P 15 N NHYLVANIA.
OFFICE:
S. L. Corner FIFTH and UILSAUT Sis.,
PHILADELPHIA.
CAPITAL, -
S 1 ,000,000
1) UtECTO It S.
PHILADELPHIA.
OKOmtE H. STUAKT,
OKCKIIK W. CUILDH.
AMt'.OMY J. KUKXKL
JObhPtl PATIKKHON.
hKAKClH A. l)f.h.Xl'X,
Hon. ASA PACIMiR.
TtlUMAM W. fcVN3,
WM. V. McKEAN,
SIDNUY J. bOl.MS,
WM. C. HOIIHTON.
i. H. HOKBTMANN,
Ucu. YVM. A. rUKi JUtt,
HEW IOHK,
JAMKS1I. MORRISON, President Manhattan Bun
JUfJti H bTUAKT, Ol J. J. feluttrt & Co., iiuukuru
BOSTON.
HON. K. S. TOBKY, late President Hoard of Trade,
CINCINNATI.
A. E. CHAMBERLAIN, of Chamberlain ik Co.
CUlCAOO.
L. Z. IiP'ITKR, of Field, Lnltor A Co.
C. M. bMl'i li, ol Ueu. C. crmiib iSt Brothers, Backers,
BT LOLUb.
JAWEPK. YEATMAN, Cashier Merchants' National
BALTIMOBR.
WILLIAM PRFCO'lT bMITIT, (superintendent
I OIISUUIUUCU UttUWJJ X41U, iion iu tu
aal"uBKOUUE H. STUAKT. Pre3ldont.
C P. BEITS. Secretary.
J L. LUDLOW. Consulting Physician.
lUCllAKU LUDLOW, jcounsei.
This Company Upues Policies of Llie Insurance
upon all the various plans that have been proved
fcy the experience of European and American Com
panies to be safe, sound, and reliable, at rates as
LOW AND UPON TEilUS A8 FAVORABLE! AB
THOSE OF ANY COMfANY OJf UAL STA
BILITY. All policies are non forfeitable after the payment
of two or ruoie annual premiums. ' 11 13 Iniw3uarp
FFICB OF THE
GUARDIAN
Fire aud Marine Insurance Co ,
Jio. 420 WALNUT Street.
Philadelphia, January 29, l'sa.
1 he following statement of the UUABDUN FIRE
AM) MAlUMi IJNbUKANUE COMPANY of ihlr
condition uu the 31st (lay ot Deceuioer, 18O8 Is purj
ltHhed In accord ante with an act of Ausemb'y :
Authorised l aplial toOtroO
Auiouut paid in N7.5u0
ANKKTft.
Bonds and mortcngPH f5 2,000 03
lit-Hi eHtale. llrsi'Ciaes property In
Ntw York 23.009 00
AVa lie County Railroad bonds 1'l.bOO (ID
Instalments un slocks due and
being paid 5.500 00
Jiaiaiice due by agents v Snxf.n
Cauh iu bank 2 60000
flOO.181-84
RECEIPTS Toil 1S68.
Premium on fire rlakp 29.268 82
LONNF.N, EXPENSE, ETC
Fire losers pId 7,9G1'2()
Expenses, rent, adve:lUemeitu.
agencies, e'o 11,729 08
Conmlfislons tu agents 8,41.1 14
23,131 48
Totil amount a rlpk i,3io,72i,fi7
Lnxecs ui adjusted and not due...,,., t) 50J o
ACCGunU 2.4-05
DIRECTORS.
A.N, Atwood.
Hun. O. V. Lawrenoe,
WillUm K. Owens,
M. C. Wortblna-ton,
Nathan Halnus,
Xon. John Titus,
31. O. Atwood.
J. r. Baker.
E. A. Thomas,
James J. Mullen,
H. K. Hud-ion,
Hon.S. T. Wilson,
James Richmond,
C. IU Oale,
A. N. ATWOOD. President.
2 ltutbsSW H. K
HUDSON, Secretary.
BEDS, MATTRESfcES, ETC.
OVER'S PATE NT
Combination Sofa Bod
Is decidedly the best Sofa Bed ever Invented. It can
be extended fromasoftt Into a handsome Pieuoh
Hi dnead. with hair spring mattress, In ten seconds
of lime. It requires no uuncruwliig or detaching, has
no separation between Ijhuh: and Beat, uu cords to
brenk and nq hlniced foot attached to ihetopof tLe
tack to mpport It when dowu, which is unsafe and
liable 10 get out of repair. It has toe conveniences of
a buieau lor homing clothing, is easily managed, and
It Is Impntalbie fur It to get out ot order.
Price about the same as au ordinary sofa.
11. r. hover,
Owner aud Hole ?f Anufactnrer,
1 26 tuthcem No.! 30 south SECOND Street,
AND A NKW STOCK Ot
BPRINO, nUSK AND MOSS MATTRESSKS,
FJSATimi BED8, PILLOWS AND BOLSTUltS, AT
8. W. Ooe. 12ra and Cuistnot Sts.
DEPARTMENT OK HIGIIW AYS.-OFFICE
Ob' CHI Kb' COMMlHiSIONEK, b'lb'TU
biREET, WE8T K1IJE, lite LOW CHESNUl'.
PniLAUKi.i'itlA, Jauuary ill 1800.
NOTICE. In ui'coi tluuco wilti tuu provlHlon
ol uu Oidiuaiice of Councils approved April 21,
lbljH, notice 1h lieieliy given liiul the dual e.stl
tuHte h r Hie construction of the sewer on Klicht
eeulii and Vine ulieelH will be paid February
10, lbu!i. All persons having cluimu for lubor
O.oiie or uiatt rial furnUhed for s ild Newer are
itqucsied lo present tli earue for payment on
or before 12 o'clock M., b'obruary 21. lSiil).
Ift61l)8ll MAllLON II. DICKINSON,
Cnlef couiuiUsioner ol Highways.
pj 1 r: C GUARDS,
FOB KTOBB rilNTN, ATXUMS, FA
lOBHW, ETC,
FatentWire Balling-Iron Beilsieads, Oraamenla
Wire Work, Paper Makers' Wires, and every varlet
ofWlr. Work.mannjfaoturby
mwf It Nor" SIXTH Btreet.
ALEXANDER O. O AITKLL ft CO
PJhLjjUCK COMMIHSION MKRCIlANrS,
rM Ko. 26 NORTH WHARVJtf
1NO
No. WORTH WATKR STREET.
PHILADELPHIA. It
Atu ajii .' uniu. auiAB cattju.
INSURANCE COMPANIES.
DELAWAKE MllUAii BArurx IWPUIV
ANC'K COMPANY. Incorporated by the
Legislature or f ennylvnU, im.
office 8. E. corner of THIRD and WALNUT
umce o. PhiiiidRitihi.
. .. r u U THflllD 1 MH M
On Vessels, Cargo, and Freight to all parU Of
f riA wnrlfl.
w a i wurru a ic extra
on aoods by river, canai.lake and land carriage
toallpariaof tbe Union.
F1HK innunAum
On MerchandiBegeneraliy ; on Uteres, Dwellings,
HntiReH. via.
ASSETS OF TB( COMPANY,
November 1. 1868.
United Htaiee Five Fer
Cent. Loan, 10 40s $208,500.00
United Biaten blx Per
Cent. Loan, 1881 138,8Q0'0O
United (Slates Hlx l'er
Cent. Lmn (lor Pacific H). 60.000-00
State of Pennsylvania fcJLx
Per Cent. Iajhu 211,375 09
City of Pblla. Hlx Percent.
1200,000
120,000
60,000
200,000
125,000
61,000
20,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
7,000
15,000
. 10,000
6,000
20,000
207,000
Lioan (exempt iruui tz. im.atn w
Btftte of New Jersey Blx
Per Cent. I-oan 61,600 00
Penn. Hall. First Mortgage
Hlx Per Cent. Bonds 20,200 0)
Penn. H. Becond Mortgage
Blx Per Cent, bonus 2i,0W 00
WeHtern Penn. H. Mori.
Hlx Per Ceu l. liouds, k
H. H. guarantee) 20,02300
State of TenncBKtie Five l'er
Cent. Loan 21,00000
Hltiteof TeLiietsie blx Per
Cent. Loiin 6,031 25
Gtrmuiitimu Una to., piln-
clphl end IntfrtM KU tran-
teid by CUy of PblUl'B,
300 she res Hiock 15,000 00
Penn'a Hallrnml Company.
200 slinn s Block 11,300 00
Nortb Pena'a Uailrond Co.,
100 Bbares HUieli 3,600 00
Phlla aud B.ulbcru Mall
BteHm.Cc.liOtharehBtoclt lj.000 00
Loans on iioou and Mori-
cnt;e, nrnl llms on cry
Proper lien ,
;M 207,90000
11,100.000 Tar.
Mnrkot value, 81,130,325-25
OoBt. S1.03.0ll,2o.
Real Estate 30,000 00
Bills receivable for iiihiirauce made 'SiZ.m U
.Balances due at agencUs, premiums
on marine pllcieB, accrued inter
est, and other debts due the com-
paiiy 40,178-88
Block and cilp of sundry corpora
tions, 831fi0. Estimated value 1,81300
Cash in bank Silo 150 08
Cash in drawer 413 05 U6.G63 73
Jl.647,307-80
DJHECTOnS.
Thomas C. Hand,
Edmund A. Houder.
HuLuuel E. Blokes.
joun j. jj-iviB,
James C. Hand,
Tneopbllns Pauldlnz,
Joseph H. Heal,
Ilngh Cra Ik,
John R. Penrose,
Jacob P. Jones,
James Traqnalr,
Edward Darlington,
11. Jones Brooke,
James B. McEarland,
Edward Lafouroade.
Henry Sloan,
Wlllliim U. Ludwlg,
Oeorge O. Lelper,
tlemy C. Daliett, Jr.,
John D. Taylor,
George W. Hernadon,
William G. Boulton,
laoob Rlegel.
(pen cor Mollvalne,
L. T. Morgan, Pittsburg
lobn B. Bemple, "
V. B. Boreer. "
Joshua r. Eyre,
THOMAS O
HAND, President.
JOHN C. DAVIS. Vice-President.
KFNRY IYLiBTJRN, Secretary.
HENRY BALL. Assist ant Secretary. 10 6
Jg25)...CIIAETEB FERFETUAls
Franklin Fire-insurance Co.
Of rUlLADfeldrillA,
OFFICK:
Nob. 135 and 137 CUESTT STKEEIk
ASSETS OK J AMU ART 1, 1S6S,
f,00Ii,74000.
CAPITA .......... ....,... f 40rt,00'o
ACCRUMD SU&FLUa 1,01,08.S9
l,li.84-ua
UNSiTTLiO) ULALUfcfe IiVCOdU; tfOH 1897
$33.603-9S SBO.nOO'W.
1HKH PAID SINCE lSStl UTU
4500,000.
Perpetual ana Tompo'W Policies on LiberM Jtiaii
Dl-Rwroiis.
Charles N. Bancker, Alfred Fltlar,
Samuel Wrant, iTbomas Sparks,
UeorueW KlohartSft, William S. Urant.
liuno La. I Alfred a. iikr,
Oeorge ifales, iThomasts. Kills!
CHARLES IS, iAJSCK.Js;K, Prelaw
JAB. W. MoALLlSi'l-lt, Secretary protein.
Except at Lexington, Keutuoky, Utla Comuanyiti
9 Agencies West of Puigtmrg. jiuj
no
o
FF1CEOF THE INSURANCE COMPANY"
OE NORTH AMERICA, No. 232 WALNUT
let.l'bliauelpDla.
Street.
Incorporated 1711. Charter Perpetual.
capital, rouo,ooo.
Assets ....2,350,000
MARINE, IN LAND, ANDEIRE INSURANCE.
OVER $20,000,000 LOSSES PAID SINCE
lib URBANIZATION.
DIUECTOKS.
Arthur O. Coffin, George E. Harrison.
Samuel W. Jones, . Eranois R. Cope,
John A. Brown, Edward H. Trotter,
Charles Taylor, Edward S. Clarke,
Ambrose white, x. Charlton Henry,
Richard D. Wood, Alfred D. Jessup.
William Welsh, John P. White,
S. Moirls Wain, EoulsU. Madeira,
John Maton, Cuaries W. Cusninan.
ARTHUR G. COEFIN, President.
CHARLES PLATT, Vice President,
Matttjiah Makib, Secretary. 2 1J
TTilRE INSURANCE EXCLUSIVELY THB
'iVI'VANLA FlHa. UNttUKANOB COM
PAWY-lncorporawd 1826-Charter Perpeiual-No
Bio WiLa UT but, opposite Independence Hqnara
This Company, favorably known to the Community
for gverloriy years, continues to Insure against loas
or damage by nre on Subllo or Private .Buildings,
either permanently or tor a limited time. AJsooa
Furniture. Blocks or Goods, and AtereuidJ7YeZ
rally, on liberal terms, " ww
Xnelr Capital, together with a large Bar pi as Pnnd
Is Invested In the most oarelul manner, wuloh enahi!-!
them to offer to Ins Ins urea an undoubted aeonrii.i.
the vase 0 lost.
ni.wmlU.
Panlel Bmlth, Jr., 1 John Deveretm
Thomas emtth
jf-aattiiantnuroi,
Thomas Robins,
inti hm,,;; ,"'""u
" : " : v-a , . r.
WM. 8. CBOWJtLL. becretaiy. ' ' iauj
STRICTLY MUTUAL.
PROVIDENT LIFElND TRUST CO,
OF PHILADELPHIA.
orricn, No. in h. l-oimru street
Organised 10 promote LllTil, AiNoUlAJSOJC u.
members ol t be ',v" """Ma
HOCIKrY OF F HI BIN DM.
Good risks of any das aooeptcd,
Policies Issued upon approved plana, at tns Jo west
President,
HAMrEL K. BHIPLKT,
Vice-President, William c. Lomhtswh.
. Actuary, KOWLAND PAKKTJ
The advantages ofiered by this Company are
excelled, j7
P II (KMX JN6UHANCE COMPANY OP
PHILADELPHIA. W
LNCOKiOttATHU lhiM -CH A RTKR PERPETUAL,
No. m WALNBTBtrettt opposite tbe Exchanges
Tbls Company lusutes loss or damage by
on UbetVl terms, on bmimnts. merchandise, fornltnre.
etc., lor limned perliiln, and permanently on buUdZ
lilts by deposit ol premium 1,
The C mpaiiy baB beeu in active operation for mora
Ihant-IXTV VKAliH, during wbion ail losses have
betu promptly adJuKtod ai d i-all, .
. ULUitCTOllii. 1
,Tobn L. Hoc KB, ,lav id Lewis,
M. O. Aliiiinuy,
Bei'laioln Kiting.
Thomas H. Powers.
A. It. McHeory, '
Iidn und CastlUon.
barouel Wilcox,
.10 tu 1. L,ewis,
William H. Grant,
Holier t W. Learning,
Lawrence Lewis. Jr.
JOHN It. XU lll'll h Kirii .
wwi, Morris.
EUmpki. Wn.ibx. H.,crVary. t.j
IJirEltlAL FlltE INSURANCE CO.
LONDON.
ESTABLISHED 1803.
Pald-n p Capital and Accumulated Funas;
8, 00 0,000 in oold:
PltEVOST A IIEKKIMG, Atfeata,
a No. 107 BoutU THIRD Street. Pnllada.
CIIA8. M. PREVOBT. CH A?, p. 11 ERRIHQ .