The Infernal Regions

Naples, Italy, Aug. 1, 1889. Editok Register: It mayeeem a liltlecrazy to f peak of the ascent to the Infernal región?, but suoh is he truth regarding a cliinb up Mt. Vesuvius, which I will attempt to describe. We left Rome at 8 o'clonk by the Naples & Brundise railroad. After ridiDg or six hours over the fertile Carnpagna, one of the finest valleys in all Italy, among fields of ripening jute and all kinds of fruits, tspeoially grape?, we came in sight of the beautiful bay of Naples, which, ike a hugh apron, spreads itself along the shore, and the waves of the Mediterranean sea make a broad white friiige of foam all around the border. Naples, formerly very unhealthy on account of poor drainage, is now, through the efforts of the municipal authorities, one of the best kept cities of central Italy. The streets are moderately clean and are stone paved. The buildings in the main part of the city are of a white sandstone which is mined in the mountains not far away. On the outskirts of the city, as of every Italian city, the poorer classes live, in anything but comfort. The shore of the bay is lined with bath hou?es and these are welt patronized at all hours of the day. People, too poor to afford a franc or a lire (20 cents) for the privilege of a bath house, make good use oí the neighboring rocks and plunge into the surf and sea weeds free of charge. The principal attraction to the traveler in Naples is the National Museum, which must be visited in order to get an adequate idea of the ruins of Pompen. The day we were in Naples they were holding a musical festival of some sort. The streets were festooned and arches were erected at every corner; besides there were people enough to make several country 4th of July celebrations in America. I noticed on sereral street corners huge kettles of ear oorn boiling. A sign above indicated that the oorn was for sale at 10 centimes per ear. I met several woraen as I passed along who had evidently been investing in this delicacy (?) but, strange to say, I did not see the men have any of it, they were either eating bread or fruit. Naples, like all Italy, is cursed with children. The streets are full of them and every doorway or window is the eradle of one or more. No one seems to care for them and they do not seem to have the least care for taemselves. Tney ran in front of the caniages so often that the drivers were continually shouting or swearin? (I could notunderstand theNeapolitan vernacular) at them. But 1 must hasten to reach Vesuviu?. We left Naples for Pompeii at 2 p. m., choosing to ascend Veeuvius by horse rather than go up by rail from Naples. The railway up Mc. Yesuvius, while it is a very agreeable way of ascending this volcano, y et it does not afford the satisfaction nor the view which the hard traii from Pompeii gives. Arriving at Pompeii at 3 p. m. we immediately went to the Hotel Diomed and secured our guide and horses. One raust use great care in choosing a euide here, elae you will find yourself taken ia by sharper8 who will Weed you to the last franc. Tbere are regularly licensed guides who always offer themselves at the hotels and who "can be fully uumed, and only these fellows can be. In 15 minutes the guide and horses were in readiness; also about 20 others - hangers on who would persist in holding our horses, or in doing something whereby they might claim a fee. The best thing to do with such fellows is to teil theai to get out of the way. Besides the guide and horses there is another neces9ary member to every party - that is a small boy who goes along to punch up the lazy ponies, and to take care of them when the eteep (oot climbing begina aad we leave the beaten track. Mt. Ve8uvius lies due norih from Pompen. Taking the oíd road which has existed from time immemorial we ride along between high walla for several miles. Over the walls vast vineyards stretch away to the mountains. We pass through a small town on our route that seems to be built only to be buried at some future day. Every step of the way írom Pompeii to the top oí' Vesuvius we tread on lava. A light crusting of soil during the past centuries bas made these gouthem slopes into the fines-t vineyards in Italy. Alter riding about two boan over roads rough and rocky, every step ascendintc we come at length to the end of vegetation. Then the road becomes a path and winda in and out araong the huge waves of cooled lava. In places the horse's hoof gives a sepulchral tone as it grates over the einders. Up, up, up, through lava dust and einders until we reach the last level spot. Here horses are left with the boy who has walked 11 the way from Pompeii or ridden by hanging to the tail of one of the horses. We now are put to the test. A strong back, strong limbs and good luDgs are neoesstary. Mounting step by step through a broad stream of fine loose eindtra which at every step, utless care is taken, slip from under the foot, and Bet you back rather thau forward. We must go up a thousand feet through this kind of climbing ; then we come to a hard einder trail. A trail which only an experienced guide could find, for we have no foot prints in Boil, no bare foil where grass once grew, no bent things to mark our wsy. We are climbing over one vast mountain of einders - the wholi volcano is a single einder. Looking back over the route already covered we think we are surely most there. The horses far below roll in the lava dust and look so small. Another cliinb of a thcusand feet over the hardest track I ever saw brings U9 to the cráter of 1872. We look into the hole, now cold in death and pass on to hotter regions. Five hundred feet further up and we reach the cráter of 1804. [COKCLUDF.IJ NEXT WEEK.]