ASCENT OF VESUVIUS BY LADIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5394, 1 March 1879, Page 7

ASCENT OF VESUVIUS BY LADIES.

correspondent writes as follows to the tmes from Naples .-—Daring the past week -'o American ladies, of strength anil pluck, :termined to venture to thi crater of the ilcano. They wore informed at the hotel, d also by a trusty guide, that there was no ,nger from the condition of the mountiin ; it tho journey should be performed at ght, as the heat of the day was oppressive, ley were advised to be on tho cono by sunle. A gentleman, who was a stranger to cm, and perhaps less plucky, but who oved gond company, agreed to accompany em; and the three employed a safe courier, lio spoke English. The party went to impeii in the afternoon, rested from 7 till !, and then, at midnight, after a cup of rong coffce, started out upon what they pposed must prove to them a delightful :cur3ion. Before the cone was reached trioua attaches of the expedition appeared, id they were told that these were all necesry. When counted, they proved to be ten number—a "mountain guide," two torchlarers, six "helpers" for the climbers (two each), and one "helper" for the chief lide. During the ascent the wind, which id been blowing gently, increased to quite gale; the ashes and scoria came into the dies' faces, filling eyes, nose, and mouth, owing off hats, and, what was even worse, owing out tho two torches and preventing icir use. Up in the dark on such a night ■fancy it. By 3 a.m. all were at the immit. The wind howled and blew the ilphurous Bmoko into their lungs and eyes, id the firea only partly lighted up the irkness and gloom. Then the ten Italians iked the ladies to descend into the outer ater, in order to compel them to pay a fee ran "extra." They declined to go. The lurier was appealed to for his influence to dues them to go. He simply asked them they wished to go, and upon their saying >, told the men so. They became only the ore exasperated, and began quarrelling ith the courier. He remained good»tured, but they bantered him, clenched leir fists, and went through a scene which iggars description.' Fancy the night, tho ace, the persons—two ladies and a iranger, with ten Italians bent on robbing lem of money—and these demons, before is glare of this little hell, lighting the rarier himself ! Imagine, if you can, the srror which overcame the ladies, the fear st they should be carried into the crater y force, or robbed, or in some way pieanted from descending the mountain peuceoly—and fancy such a scene occupying early two hours, or almost till 5 a.m., hen the day broke ! At 8 a.m. they inched Pompeii again, glad to be with vilised people, although drenched to the tin by the rain, which began at 7, and hich they hurried through on horseback in rder to be ont of the reach of all the scounrels who Beemed to infest the region of esuvius.