Rollo in Naples
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r by green and beautiful slopes of land, which are adorned with vineyards and groves of orange and lemon trees, and dotted with white villas; while all along the shore, close t
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from its summit a constant stream of smoke. In times of eruption this smoke becomes very dense and voluminous, and alternates from time
e many others buried deep beneath the ground, having been overwhelmed by currents of lava f
these eruptions occur usually at such distant intervals from each other, that the people think it is not probable that the town in which they live will be destroyed in their day; and so they are quiet
Vesuvius is in relation to it. Vesuvius, you observe, stands back a little from the sea, but the slope of land extends quite down to the margin o
tle hamlets scattered along the way, so that, as seen across the water from Naples, ther
um to the south-west. Of course the lava, in breaking out from the crater in different eruptions, runs down the mountain, sometimes on one side and so
bout to make the ascent of Vesuvius, and leave the carriage in which they came from Naples. If they come by the railroad,
the Hermitage, the place of which you also see marked on the map. The Hermitage is so called because the s
ach a part of the mountain which is so steep that even mules and donkeys cannot go; and here the people are accordingly obliged to dismount, and to climb up the last part o
us; for, as you see by the map, they are very near the place, Resina, where the ascent of the
s is, that the excavations have been carried on much farther at Pompeii than at Herculaneum. Herculaneum was buried up in lava, and the
ame upon some statues and other remains of ancient art. They dug these things out, and afterwards the excavations were continued for many years; but the difficulties in the way were so great, on account of the depth below the surface of the ground where the work was to be done, and also on account
uried nearly as deep as Herculaneum, and the substances which covered it were found to be much softer, and more easily removed. Consequently a great deal mo
res, utensils, and other curious objects that are found in the houses. These things, as fast as they are fo
re chapter how Rollo w
o. You will see its place marked upon the map. The wonder of this subterranean passage way is its great antiquity. It has existed at least eighteen hundred years, and how much longer nobody knows. It is wide enough for a good broad road. When it was first cut through, it was only high enough for a carriage to pass; but the floor of it
d, where he sees a magnificent prospect spread out before him. The road goes on along the coast, and come
own, Rollo came into Mrs. Gray's parlor, where Mr. George and all the rest of the party, except
nd what is it?"
Rollo. "I would rather not t
r ride, and being, moreover, very comfortably
n she has seen it, she may come back and tell me
d Rollo; "c
rlor into the hall, and from the hall along a sort of
mother will like to come. She does not like to go up long stairs, especiall
see," sa
door leading out to a balcony. From this balcony there was a narrow iron stair which led up on the outside of the house to the roof. Rollo led the way up this stair, and Rosie foll
ched the first platform, "don't you th
that a magnificent panorama
e very much, if she only
us rising beyond. Among the green fields and groves, far up these slopes, white hamlets and villas were scattered, and above, the double summit of Vesuvius was seen, with dense volumes of white smoke ascending
mountain, so that she might see the smoke coming out more distinctly. With the glass, besides the general column
hite building, which was seen very distinctly in the rays of t
it is the Hermita
ROUGH T
the highest house on the mountain side. Besides, it stands on the end of a ridge or spur, project
t it in one of the valleys," said Rosie. "It wou
at all, for then it would have been in the track of the
road leading up to the
obable we could see people going up or c
watch," s
usually come down early in the afternoon. And yet parties sometimes make arrangements to stay up there until after dark, so as to s
the roof, that she went up herself immediately after Rosie came down.
the first platform, Josie called to th
is is high enough for me.
issuing from the summit. She had not seen the summit before, as all the upper part of the
r the water, so that from the lookout the town was spread out in full view, with all the great castles and towers which crow
een a little afraid; but in coming down she found the steps so firm and soli
evening after dark, and then on the top of the mount
Rollo?" ask
they do sometimes see fire coming out; an
Josie should go up alone first, to see if there was any fir
ire. So Mrs. Gray and Rosie went up. Taking their stations on the platform, and looking towards the mountain, they could see distinctly a brigh