

KIDD’S OWN JOURNAL. 
25 

loose, and the ascent so frightfully steep, 
that no animal, except man, can find a 
footing. 
I do not remember ever in my life to have 
been so entirely overcome with terror, as in 
the scene which followed. The ladies of our 
party were placed in small arm-chairs, 
fastened upon long poles, which the men 
supported on their shoulders. Imagine what 
it was to be thus lifted up by twelve men, 
who sank knee-deep in the ashes at every 
step; and whose footing was so uncertain 
and irregular, that I was one minute thrown 
to one side of the chair, and the next flung 
violently forward, and then as suddenly 
jerked back again. All the time the men 
screamed as Neapolitans only can scream. 
The portantint who were carrying one of my 
friends fell down all at once, and this was the 
signal for my bearers to rush past them, 
yelling with delight. So wildand uncivilised 
a set of beings you never saw, and the noise 
they made was something quite unearthly. 
I completely lost my presence of mind, and 
in piteous tones besought the men to let me 
get down and walk; but instead of heeding 
my entreaties, they only raced on the more 
desperately. 
When I reached the summit, after having 
endured this terror for three-quarters of an 
hour, I sat down and buried my face in my 
hands, unable to speak. After a little while, 
when I raised my eyes and looked around, 
what words can picture the scene that pre- 
sented itself! We were standing on the 
edge of the large basin, in the centre of which 
were the craters in action. When all our 
party were assembled, we followed our guide, 
and proceeded towards them, scrambling 
over rocks of hot lava, and stepping across 
deep chasms, from which rose a hot sulphu- 
reous exhalation. I can never forget the feel- 
ings of that moment. I had lately seen nature 
in her most grand and lovely forms, and re- 
membered with delight the sublime beauty 
of Switzerland ; but here I beheld her under 
a new aspect—awful, terrific, and over- 
whelming—working in the secret places of 
the earth with a power of destructive and 
mysterious energy, and revealing itself to 
man in fearful and desolating might. I 
gazed, and thought of Herculaneum and 
Pompeii. 
We stopped on a high point of lava, and 
looked into the mighty cauldron beneath us. 
Loud subterranean noises were heard from 
time to time—-the mountain seemed shaken 
to its centre; then columns of bright clear 
flame spouted forth from the crater, suc- 
ceeded by volumes of dense black smoke. 
Red-hot stones and masses of rock were 
hurled hundreds of feet into the air; some 
falling back into the crater, while others, 
dashed into a thousand pieces, were scattered 


around. After standing on this pinnacle for 
some time, the guide led the way to the 
very edge of the crater. I felt that I had 
seen enough, and begged to be left behind, 
being indeed too cowardly to venture on. 
The rest of the party, however, had suf- 
ficient courage and curiosity to explore 
further. I asked our guide if there was 
really any danger ; he looked at me earnestly, 
and simply said, “ Signorina gentilissima, ho 
sei piccolini in casa!”—(“ Gentle lady, I 
have six little children at home.”) Could 
any words have conveyed a stronger assu- 
rance than this touching appeal? It gave 
me courage, and I proceeded with the others. 
And now we stood beside the crater ; and 
as each volley of smoke and flame subsided, 
we peeped into the abyss. Then came a 
hollow fearful sound, the earth beneath us 
trembled, the smoke and flame again as- 
cended; stones were shot up into the air 
high above our heads. Suddenly the wind 
changed, and our position was by no means 
an enviable one; the smoke and sulphureous 
vapor were blown towards us, and red-hot 
stones fell in showers around. Every one 
was now terrified; we fled like a herd of 
startled deer, and scrambling up the hill as 
fast as the loose and slippery soil would 
permit, only turned to look back when we 
had reached the top. We were now content 
with a more distant view, and lingered long 
near the crater, reluctant to leave a spot 
which we were so unlikely ever to visit again. 
At length we prepared to descend the 
mountain. JI had dismissed my chair, 
determined to trust alone to my feet. Sup- 
ported by a friend and one of the guides, 1 
advanced down the precipitous descent, 
slowly and cautiously at first; but gaining 
courage as we proceeded, I soon ran briskly 
on, and in four minutes reached the foot of 
the cone which it had cost us so much time, 
toil, and suffering to ascend. Remounting 
our donkeys, we soon joined those of our 
party who had not ventured on the ascent, 
and as we drove back to Naples, related to 
them our adventures. But how vain were 
all our endeavors to give utterance to the 
thoughts and feelings which this day’s 
excursion had awakened ! We 
A MARVELLOUSLY-PROPER MAN. 

Tue man whom I call deserving the name, is 
one whose thoughts and exertions are for others 
rather than for himself,—whose high purpose is 
adopted on just principles, and never abandoned 
while Heaven or earth affords means of accom- 
plishing it. He is one who will neither seek an 
indirect advantage by a specious road, nor take 
an evil path to gain a real good purpose. Such a 
man were one, for whom a woman’s heart should 
beat constantly while he breathes — and break 
when he dies.—Sir Waren Scort. 
