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awful crater,
looking down into its smoking and firery abysses, as gusts of wind occasionally
cleared away the sulfurous obstructions to our vision. The fog which enveloped
the mountain during our ascent was now dispelled, and we had a glorious
view of the grand and desolate scenery around the volcano, and as beautiful
panorama of Naples, the bay and a portion of the Mediterranean Sea and its
island. The decent of the cone was quickly made, and in high glee at the
ludicrous manner in which we slid, ran and pitched along. It was impossible
to go slowly or gravely. A little below the foot of the cone we turned aside
to see a river of red hot lava flowing out of the mountain and down its
slope. It was a grand terrible sight, and for some distance we could hear
the greeting, crackling sound of the glowing lava current. We reached our
lodgings in safety, with another day of wonder strongly and prominently
marked in the calendar of life’s pilgrimage.
One more excursion unnamed, and then we were ready for the expected steamer
to hear us to the Orient, though we had longings for a sight of the temples
of Prestum, but could barely find time to see tomorrow. Our last excursion
was to Baia, the favorite resort of nobles and literary men in the sailing
days of Rome. The Appian Way, from the imperial city passed hither, and
extended to Pompeii.
We stopped next at Possuoli, the modern name for Puteoli, mentioned in the
Acts of the Apostles as the place where Paul, Luke, Aristarchus, and others
landed after their long and perilous voyage in the ship whose sign was Casto
and Pollux. “The south wind blew” says the sacred narrative.
“And we come the next day to Puteoli, where we found brethren, and
were desired to tarry with their seven days.”
A few miles along the seashore, and turning a little way to the right –
into the country, we reach the famous lake Averous, around which much of
mythology and mystery fathered in ancient times.
The ruins about Baia are certainly extensive and interesting, especially
by the Baths of Nero, where the hot mineral water
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