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house and home by his visiters. After taking some refreshment we all started together, taking a soldier with us for a guide and defence, being told this was indispensable, for fear of robbery. These people have a thousand cunning practices by which they obtrude their services upon you for a small compensation; and travellers generally put up with their tricks, to save themselves the trouble and delay of a dispute. My companions were all mounted on donkeys, but on this steep road, they never go faster than a common walk, so that I had no difficulty in keeping up with them. One of our number was a lady, who rode her gallant dapple in a queer, snug little sort of a pannier, or side-saddle, by the help of which she maintained her seat in safety, while the animal tottered and scrambled over the crags and gullies.

In a short time the vineyards disappeared, and the road passed over broken heaps of lava. The great cone of Vesuvius lay before us, towering over our heads. On the left we looked down into a deep, rocky gulf, beyond which rose the long, craggy, red ridge of Monte Somma, the twin peak of Vesuvius. On our right, the eye wandered over an immense field of black lava, which darkened the sides of the mountain up to the very top of the cone. The road now grew every moment steeper, and wound through a wild region, among craggy and ponderous masses of lava which covered the ground in every direction. All this tract was impassable for a long time, after the last eruption; the lava being as hard as the firmest rock, and rent into abrupt chasms and crags like a field of broken ice. A path was at length made by cutting through these masses and beating the lava up into a sort of Mac Adam. We passed a mile or two on this wild road, and at length reached the foot of the cone.

This rests upon the main body

of the mountain, like a dome upon a gigantic edifice. It is too steep to be climbed, even by donkeys or mules, besides, being of too loose materials to afford a footing for these animals. It consists of coarse gravel, loose stones and cinders, thrown out by the mountain with as steep a slope as such loose materials can possibly lie in. Here we found a large number of the above mentioned animals waiting for their riders, who had gone up. Our party dismounted and began the ascent. I found it exceedingly toilsome. What with the steepness of the surface and the treacherous footing to my steps, I was constantly slipping backward, and losing by one step what I had gained in a dozen.

But what was done with our fair companion? Ladies without number had gone to the top of the mountain, and she was resolved not to be outdone by any one of them. Ladies have never been considered deficient in curiosity; and the mountaineers have a contrivance by which they can be gratified in their desire to visit the summit of Vesuvius. Three or four stout fellows harness themselves with a strong leather strap, which they pass around the lady's waist and then march onward, drawing her after them. In this manner our fair attendant managed to ascend the steep and slippery road up to the crater. About half way up we met another party, likewise with a lady. She had less strength or resolution than our friend, for she had given out, and was on the point of returning.

This great cone, when viewed from a distance, seems to taper off almost to a point; yet, on reaching the top, we found ourselves among heaps of enormous lava crags extending widely around, with columns and jets of white smoke streaming up from the clefts and spiracles here and there. We groped our way among these black and threatening masses, and

presently came upon a party of travellers, seated upon a crag, eating their dinner. The air was cool on the mountain top, and they had fixed themselves in a comfortable spot, where they were roasting eggs in a hot crack of the lava! It costs nothing for fire here. The mountaineers came round us with baskets of fruit, bottles of wine, &c., to sell. They drive a profitable trade with hungry travellers at the top of Vesuvius. People whose heads are full of curiosity, are not apt to higgle about prices, when they can purchase a comfortable mouthful in so strange a place as the summit of a vol

cano.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Description of the crater.-. -Prospect from the top. -Accident in the descent of the mountain. Visit to Torre del Grecco.-Singular life led by the inhabitants.—Remarkable situation of a powder-house.

ALTHOUGH We were now on the top of the mountain, yet the crater was still at some distance, and we followed a rude pathway which ran for nearly a quarter of a mile among the lava crags. Every where the rents and fissures sent up streams of white smoke from beneath our feet, and the smell of sulphur loaded the air. The masses of lava were heaped confusedly around us. The surface had evidently been once a smooth bed of this hard material, which had cooled on the spot after its ejection from the bowels of the mountain, and subsequently had been split up and blown into fragments by another convulsion. There would be no passing here had not a pathway been made by levelling the crags and filling up the gaps which yawn at every step. The traveller is reminded at each moment that he is walking over terrible fires which are at no great distance beneath his feet. For all this, no one need be afraid to go to the top of Vesuvius. Eruptions never break out so

suddenly but that a man may escape from the top of the mountain to the foot, in season for his safety. Generally, some days before the mountain begins to burn, it gives warning by subterranean noises, slight shakings, and increased volumes of smoke. Whenever lives have been lost, it has been owing to the disregard of these symptoms, and the presumptuous curiosity of those who dare to ascend the mountain when on fire.

Heavy columns of smoke now rose before us, pouring off horizontally through the air over an abrupt and long ridge of lava. On climbing this last ascent, the view of the great crater burst upon us, with its yawning depths, puffing out smoke and steam. Here we stopped to contemplate the spectacle. We stood on the edge of the crater, which was wide enough to enable us to walk along with safety. The smoke concealed one side of it from our view. We judged it about half a mile across; but in this lofty region, with no neighboring objects for the eye to light upon and form a comparison, the measurement cannot be depended on. It goes shelving down on all sides, with a fearful steepness, showing great bright crags of brimstone and red fire-stones jutting out from the black lava surface. The great spiracle in the centre appeared to be choked up; he smoke rising through minor clefts and chinks all round the sides and bottom of the crater. The edge on which we stood, and along which we walked for a quarter of a mile, was full of holes and cracks sending out smoke; and on thrusting our sticks into them, they took fire and were drawn out blazing. The windward side of the crater only, is accessible; there is no going quite round, on account of the suffocating smoke. All the inner surface of the crater appeared to be firm and solid, and we judged, by throwing stones down, that a person might descend to the bottom in

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> safety, were it not for the fumes of sulphur with which it is constantly filled. I tried it for some distance, letting myself carefully down upon my hands and feet from crag to crag, until I became half stifled, when, being convinced that no wise man would go any further, I seized a fragment of the rock as a trophy of my exploit, and clambered up again. The performance cost me the best part of a pair of boots, which were pretty well crisped among the hot rocks. The distant prospect from the top of Vesuvius is most superb. The great, craggy red head of Monte Somma frowns wildly opposite, while far beneath are the blue waters of the bay, the white clustering houses of Naples, the mountainous coast of Torrento, dotted with white houses, and the sweet blue islands of Capri, Ischia, and Procida, resting on the distant ocean. All around, on the land side, the eye wanders over green fields, orchards, and gardens, fresh with flowers and herbage, even at this early season. Away in the east the long mountainous ridge of the Apennines is seen skirting the horizon with their dark sides and snow-capped peaks. The view is sublime, and worth, of itself, a voyage across the Atlantic.

We spent nearly an hour about the crater, admiring the beauty and grandeur of the scenery, and picking up curious bits of lava and other minerals, which arrest the traveller's curiosity at every step. I found, among other things, a lump of salt, about the size of my fist, most beautifully crystallized into the shape of a tree. As we were preparing to descend, I cast my eyes downward and discovered our donkeys at the foot of the cone, standing huddled together in a cluster. They were almost directly - under our feet, but at such a distance that they were diminished to the size of young rabbits. To descend the cone is quite as toilsome as to climb up, and a

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great deal more dangerous. In the loose soil one is apt to move downward too fast, and between walking and sliding, a great deal of care must be taken lest you go heels over head. I had got about half way down, when I heard a loud cry above; I looked up and saw a great stone coming down upon me. One of the party above had loosened it, while floundering and scrambling his way through the loose earth, and now gathering speed in its progress, it was rolling down directly over my head, bouncing from heap to heap, and ploughing up the soil in a most fearful manner. I scrambled down hill much faster than before, but again casting my eyes upward, found that the stone was overtaking me. I now began to feel seriously alarmed, for I was in imminent danger of being crushed to death. The stone came thundering onward, but fortunately, just before it reached me, it struck a little knoll and bounded off obliquely, dashing the gravel and pebbles to the right and left and ploughing the ground into a furrow, till it reached the bottom. A great avalanche of earth and stones came pouring after it, by which I was nearly carried off my legs and swept away; but by fixing my staff firmly into the ground and resisting with main force, I checked my slide till the danger was over. reached the foot of the cone with no other mishap than to find myself completely out of breath.

I

The guides told me that many accidents had happened and much injury been occasioned to travellers by the tricks of frolicsome and imprudent people, who frequently set the stones rolling down hill for their own amusement. are always the travellers themselves, for the natives are too well acquainted with the dangerous nature of such sport to allow themselves to practise it.

These

On our way homeward we went to see the little town of Torre del Greco,

which stands at some distance up the mountain. In the neighborhood are immense fields of lava and every mark of the fearful ravages of the volcano. Whenever a great eruption takes place, this town is almost sure to suffer. Earthquakes shake it, ashes and cinders overwhelm it, and rivers of burning lava scorch its fields and sweep away its houses. How many times it has been destroyed I do not remember; but the inhabitants always go back and rebuild it when the lava cools. They live a strange life, constantly in the jaws of

destruction; yet the vicinity of so much danger gives them no more concern, on common occasions, than the dangers of the sea cause to a sailor. When the mountain shakes and bellows, and the flames begin to issue from the top, they prepare for a start; but it is not till the streams of lava pour down upon the back of the town, that they consider it time to run. Then they snatch up their bundles and scamper for life. It is remarkable that the only powder magazine about Naples used to be here, and, for aught I know, may be so still!

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1902

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Herschel's Telescope.

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Herschel the Astronomer.

SIR WILLIAM HERSCHEL was born at Hanover, in Germany, in 1738. At the age of fourteen he entered the Hanoverian Guards, as a musician, and in 1757, proceeded to England in that capacity. Here he became a teacher of music. In 1770, he began to devote himself to the study of astronomy. In 1781, he discovered the planet now called Herschel, but which he called Georgium sidus, or George's star, in compliment to George III., then king of England. In 1787, he completed his great telescope, the tube

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of which was forty feet in length, and which was surrounded with machines for turning it in all directions. When observing a heavenly body, he sat at the top of the tube, and looked down to the bottom, where, in a measure, he saw the reflection of the object he wished to notice. In 1789, he discovered the sixth and seventh noons of Saturn. He died in 1822, in the eighty-fourth year of his age. His son is now one of the most famous of living astronomers.

PETER PARLEY'S NEW STORIES.

No. III.

Truth and Falsehood-an Alle. enough for a time, but soon it became

gory.

In ancient days, there lived in Damascus, a city of Syria, a youth whose name was Myron. His father, who was very rich, died suddenly, leaving him a vast estate. He had a great deal of money, and a beautiful house, to which a fine garden was attached. One day he was walking in this garden, and the air being warm and pleasant, he sat down by a fountain, sheltered from the sun by the overhanging branches of the cedartrees. The scene was tranquil and soothing, and such was its effect upon Myron, that he fell into a dream or reverie, in which the following events seemed actually to come to pass.

He fancied that he was walking in one of the paths of the garden, thinking upon the death of his father, and the situation in which he was now placed. His mother had been dead for some years: he was therefore an orphan, and must depend upon himself to mark out his course of conduct. His wealth, indeed, brought around him a host of friends, real or pretended-but could he confide in them? Some of them spoke smooth words to him, and flattered him, and made themselves very agreeable; while others were less pleasing, but apparently more sincere. But which, of all these persons, could he confide in? This question often occurred to him, and he felt anxious to decide and act according to the dictates of wisdom. While he was thinking on this subject, the scene changed, and he appeared to be on a journey alone, and travelling a road which was new and strange to him.

The path before him seemed plain

less defined, and several other roads branched off to the right and left. He, however, proceeded-but at length the road entered a forest, which grew deeper as he avanced, while the track became more obscure. At last he came to a point where he was entirely in doubt as to the road he was to take; and this doubt was mingled with anxiety, for night was now at hand, and a thunder-storm was approaching. Already the ruddy lightning was flashing among the dark shadows of the pines, and the thunder was growling over the distant hills.

While the youth was looking anxiously around for some one to be his guide in this dilemma, he was surprised as well as pleased to see a comely youth approaching him. Scarcely had he greeted the young stranger, when an aged and reverend man also joined the party.

Myron looked at them both attentively, for their appearance was remarkable; beside, he was now in a situation to need counsel and direction, and he wished, if possible, to learn from the aspect of these persons, which he might most safely trust. He was, however, unable to decide between them, and at last he spoke to them as follows:

"I am travelling, my friends, to a distant city, and having lost my way, I beg you to tell me which road I am to follow."

The youth replied, with a bland smile, "Fair friend, I know the way to the city you seek, and as it is my pleasure to aid the unfortunate, I will lead you to the end of your journey, if you will put yourself under my care.

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Myron noticed, that as the youth spoke, his face grew more lovely, and

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