hot), and saw the seething mass and fiery flames. Our guide fished out some of the red-hot lava for us, pressed some pennies in it, and when it cooled it became as black as iron.

There we were, four thousand feet above the city of Naples, and the bay with its beautiful islands, Capri and Ischia. But it is not the most comfortable point of observation in the world, and we were soon ready to start down the mountain. Our curiosity and ambition having been satisfied, the rain having abated, and the tug of war over, the descent was quite different from the ascent. We all took hold of hands, and went pitching through the ashes, knee deep, with remarkably long and rapid strides. Our steps or jumps must have been at least three yards long.

Reaching the point where our horses were to meet us, we saw them a long way in the distance. While waiting for them, the guides invited us into a little place enclosed with a stone wall, and there tried to extort more money from us, our guide whom we took from Pompeii also siding with them. We gave the extra guide two francs (forty cents) for dipping out the lava for us, and then stoutly refused to give any more than previously agreed upon.

"Fie on thee, wretches! 'tis pity that thou livest

To walk where any honest men resort."

Then they insisted on our going to another town, instead of going back to Pompeii, to take the train for Naples. We had return tickets, and insisted on going back to Pompeii; but we did not know the road, and were at their mercy; and in spite of all we could do and say, they took us to the proposed station. I was uneasy every minute, for I had heard and read so much of the murders and robberies committed by Italian guides in making this excursion, that I was afraid to have Mr. Culler ride in the rear, as they probably knew that he carried the gold. However, we arrived in safety at the station. remained seated on our ponies while Mr. Culler went in to see if our tickets were good from there.

Miss Camp and I

and the guide

We did not

propose to give up our horses until we knew that everything was straight. All the little ragged beggars in this miserable town gathered about us like a swarm of bees, stretching out their hands for money. When we refused they made all sorts of horrible faces at us, yelled and screamed, and whipped Mr. Culler's horse so that it jerked away from the boy who was holding it, and went scampering about the town. Our horses were restless, and we were glad when Mr. Culler came and said all was right. While waiting in the station for the train, we had an opportunity to examine our shoes. The black was entirely scraped off, having a yellowish-red appearance, and they were burnt and torn shamefully. It took us just five hours to make the ascent and descent. It was hard work, but it paid! However, I don't think I could be tempted to repeat it.

"At the time of the eruption in 1872, a torrent of lava descended in a stream three thousand feet wide and twenty feet deep. At the same time, amidst terrific thundering, the crater poured forth huge volumes of smoke, mingled with red-hot stones and lava, to a height of four thousand feet; whilst clouds of ashes, rising to double that height, were carried by the wind a distance of one hundred and forty miles. It is a fact that all the principal volcanoes are situated near the sea or ocean; and it is believed that the enormous clouds of steam generated during eruptions, are due to some temporary communication of the water with the burning liquids of the interior of the earth; and that the premonitory earthquakes are occasioned by the vapors and gases as they expand and endeavor to find an outlet."

On the train to Naples, an Italian gentleman, who could speak English with some difficulty, informed us that the way to get rid of beggars and guides, is to throw back the head, elevate the nose, and say no! We afterwards found it worked like a charm. We bade good-bye to Naples, and reached Rome in about seven hours by train.

CHAPTER IV.

"ROME, that sat on her seven hills, and from her throne of beauty ruled the world." We entered the Eternal City at half past ten o'clock at night, and took up our abode at the hotel Minerva for a stay of eleven days. This large establishment is situated just back of the old Pantheon, and from our room we could look out upon this venerable pile. Statues of the goddess Minerva adorn the roomy, handsome dining hall, and every piece of china was stamped with her graceful figure. The meals were excellent and bountiful, with always a good supply of luscious Italian fruit; and the gentlemanly clerk, who could speak the English fluently, was no small addition to our comfort and enjoyment.

Rome was founded about B. C. 750. It is built on both banks of the yellow, muddy Tiber, and is surrounded by a brick wall, fourteen miles in circumference, and fifty-five feet high. It is entered by twelve gates, the most important of which is the Porta del Popolo. The far-famed "Seven Hills," upon which stand the ruins of ancient Rome are the Capitoline, Quirinal, Viminal, Esquiline, Palatine, Aventine, and Caelius, ranging from one hundred and fifty-one feet to two hundred and fortysix feet in height. Modern Rome is principally confined to the plain. The modern city is divided by the Corso or principal street. The part bordering on the Tiber consists of narrow, dirty streets. The population is two hundred and eighty-five thousand; and more than one-third cannot read or write. Among the first sights which we saw in Rome was the funeral procession in honor of the renowned Italian statesman Garibaldi, which passed through the Corso. For an hour before anything was to be seen, the street was lined with hundreds of people, scarcely leaving sufficient space for a team to pass. There

we were surrounded by people of all classes chattering in Italian, and anxiously looking for the procession. Suddenly there was a dreadful panic among the crowd, the cause of which we could not find out. But the people screamed and ran over each other; strong men were knocked down flat on their backs; women and children were trampled upon. Mr. Culler managed to keep on his feet and keep my head from the ground, while my body was carried with the crowd. Twenty-eight persons were badly injured, some having limbs and arms broken, and others were jammed against the solid stone buildings. We were all terribly frightened. The pale faces, crying of children, and the expectation of being trampled to death, are indelibly impressed upon my mind.

Finally, after two or three excitements, the people, seeing there was no danger, became calm, and the grand and imposing procession came in sight. I managed to get in a place where I could run at the least alarm. There was a fine display of different orders in rich costumes, soldiers in gay uniforms, splendid banners, etc., seemingly endless in number. At last came a magnificent funeral car, beautifully and tastefully trimmed with floral offerings, and on the top was a pure white marble statue of Garibaldi, and a gracefully-carved female figure beside him, placing a wreath of laurels on his brow. I have seen several other funeral cars, but none to compare with this.

As the Pantheon was so near our hotel, we visited it at our earliest opportunity. It is the most perfect of the ancient buildings of Rome, and has stood here, braving wind and storm, ever since twenty-seven years before the birth of Christ.. This huge circular structure is one hundred and forty feet high, and one hundred and forty feet in diameter. The massive brick walls are twenty feet thick, and were originally covered on the exterior with marble and stucco; but, having been stripped of this costly covering, and also of reliefs and statues, it presents a shabby appearance on the outside. The portico is supported by sixteen granite Corinthian columns, each thirteen feet in circumference. This church has no windows, being lighted by a

round opening twenty-eight feet in diameter in the centre of the dome, through which peeps the blue sky of sunny Italy. When it rains, of course, it comes down, but there are several holes made in the floor, through which it escapes. The interior of the dome was formerly decorated with gold leaf, but it was stripped of this hundreds of years ago. This edifice was built for a heathen temple, and there are seven empty niches in which used to stand the statues of the gods. It was consecrated as a Christian church in A. D. 609. King Victor Emmanuel, who died January 9, 1878, is buried here, near the high altar; and also Raphael, who died in 1520. Over Raphael's tomb is hung his first painting, a little thing about six by eight inches. It represents three people in bed, and one saying his prayers before the Virgin Mary.

We went outside and walked entirely around the building, looking at its old, old walls, blackened with the breath of ages, and yet it stands firm as a rock. Byron beautifully describes it in the following lines.

"Simple, erect, severe, austere, sublime

Shrine of all saints and temple of all gods,
From Jove to Jesus--spared and blest by time;
Looking tranquility, while falls or nods

Arch, empire, each thing round thee, and man plods
His way through thorns to ashes--glorious dome!
Shalt thou not last? Time's scythe and tyrants' rods
Shiver upon thee--sanctuary and home

Of art and piety-- Pantheon!--pride of Rome."

We walked over to the church of S. Maria Sopra Minerva, which stands at the right of our hotel. It is the only Gothic church in Rome, and is only about six hundred years old. In the interior is a piece of statuary by Michael Angelo, viz., "Christ with the Cross." The right foot is protected by a bronze shoe from the lips of worshipers. In one of the side chapels are life-size wax figures, representing Mary and Joseph watching over Jesus, who is represented by a wax baby in a cradle between them. Mary is dressed in a blue delaine suit,