24 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [16:1— Jan., 1920 



Two thousand five hundred feet up the mountain they followed,, 

 till all signs of vegetation ended in rough tumbled lava. 



As one ascends, the horizon appears to tip up more and more, 

 while the glistening curve of the white houses of Naples defining 

 the exquisite blue of the bay, seems gradually to sink away beneath 

 one's feet. At the beginning of the rough lava fields, I ate my 

 lunch like a bandit chief surrotmded by a circle of fond admirers. 

 They watched every move, those five small boys of Italy. With 

 Piccolo, as ever, suffering competition from the trust, they ate 

 every scrap of food donated, including some cheese rinds and vile 

 butter. Lunch finished and the view admired as much as the 

 distractions would allow, I started off over the ttimbled, jagged 

 lava, aiming for the base of the ash cone on the north side. My 

 barefoot escort soon showed signs of distress. I lined them up for 

 a picture with the ash cone of the volcano for a background; 

 gave to each the long sought 'una solde,' and started again at a 

 tremenduous pace over the pathless lava. 



I dared not look back lest such a manifestation of interest 

 should arouse the little beggars to further efforts. I must have 

 gone half a mile, when behind me there arose a plantive wa'l. 



Looking back, I beheld Piccolo alone, coming painfully after me, 

 footing gingerly over the cruel lava. I waited for him, not so 

 much from compassion, as from a need of a final renewal of my 

 water supply. When he arrived, panting footsore, I flashed a 

 copper and asked in my best Italian, "Where can I get water fit 

 to drink?" He motioned me to follow and led me a short distance 

 to the left of my route to a sort of oasis in the desert where nestled 

 a single vineclad white house, the last place where a prospective 

 law breaking brigand such as I, could get a drink of water. Piccolo 

 ran into the house. Out swarmed the inhabitants. They admired 

 and filled my canteen, receiving 'una solde' each, not forgetting 

 Piccolo. I did not lose him here, however. He evidently looked 

 upon me as a permanent source of income. Together we plodded 

 on, ever upward, till, at length, we approached a gaunt frame 

 building set with no apparent purpose in the midst of the black 

 lava. As we drew nearer, Piccolo set up an infernal howl which 

 caused the house to belch forth a choice collection of men and 

 dogs. The dogs were incidental, the men were guides. In spite 

 of the broiling sun, I sped out over the bleak lava. They followed 

 for a short distance rather half heartedly, but their natural indol- 



