728 THE VOYAGE OF THE VEOA. [chap. 



our disposal. We were there received by the committee in 

 charge of the festivities, Prince Belmonte and Cavalier Riccio, 

 who afterwards, during our stay in the city, in the kindest 

 way arranged everything to make our stay there festive and 

 agreeable. 



On Sunday the 15th several deputations were received, 

 among them one from the University. A beautifully-bound 

 address was presented by " Ateneo Benjamino Franklin," and 

 a number of official visits were made and received. We dined 

 with the Swedish-Norwegian consul, Clausen. On Monday 

 the 16th an address was presented from "Scuola d'Applicazione 

 per gl'Ingenieri," and from " Neapolitana Archseologioe, Litter- 

 arum et Artium Academia," a song of welcome in Latin, 

 written by Professor Antonio Mirabelli. Then followed a 

 grand dinner given by the municij^ality of the city in a hall of 

 the hotel, which was now inaugurated and was named the 

 Vega Hall, and was on this occasion ornamented with the 

 royal cipher, the Swedish and Italian flags, &c. In the even- 

 ing there was a gala representation at San Carlo, where the 

 members of the Expedition scattered among the different boxes 

 were saluted with rejDeated loud cries of " Bravo ! " — On Tuesday 

 the 17th the Committee had arranged an excursion to Lake 

 Averno, the Temple of Serapis, and other places famous in a 

 geological and historical respect, situated to the north-west of 

 Naples. Prince Urusov entertained some of the members of 

 the Expedition to dinner. There was an afternoon musical 

 entertainment at the " Societa Filarmonica," where there was a 

 numerous attendance of persons moving in the first circles 

 in the city. — Wednesday the 18th, excursion along with the 

 Committee to Pompeii, where the Swedish guests were received 

 by the famous superintendent of the excavations. Director 

 EUGGIERI. Breakfast was eaten with merry jests and gay 

 speeches in a splendid Roman bath, still in good preservation, 

 excavations were undertaken, &c. In the afternoon there was 

 a grand dinner, followed by a reception by the admiral in 

 command, and a festive representation at the Bellini Theatre. — 

 Thursday the 19th, Dr. Franz Kuhn, arrived from Vienna, 

 deputed by the Geographical Society there to welcome us. 

 Excursion in comj^any with Professor Palmieri and the Com- 

 mittee to Vesuvius, which at the time of our visit was emitting 

 thick columns of smoke, was pouring out a stream of lava, and 

 casting out masses of glowing stone. We ascended the border 

 of the crater, not without inconvenience from the heat of the 

 half-solidified lava streams over which we walked, from the 

 gases escaping from the crater, and from the red-hot stones 

 flung out of it. The new railway, not then ready, was inspected, 

 and the observatory visited. We dined with the Committee at 



