182  A  VISIT  TO  VESUVIUS. 
of  the  crescent-shaped  valley  called  Atrio  del  Cavallo,  between  the 
cone  of  Vesuvius  and  the  interior  walls  of  the  old  crater  of  Somma,  and 
no  more  admirable  spot  could  be  chosen  whence  to  witness  an  eruption, 
though  its  proximity  is  sometimes  attended  with  danger,  as  in  1855,  when 
the  current  passed  on  both  sides  of  the  hill.  We  now  pushed  on  up  the 
gteep  path  of  the  Hermitage  hill  and  over  this  lava,  and  entered  the 
Atrio,  where  the  path  is  more  or  less  broken  as  it  passes  over  the  lavas 
of  various  ages,  and  requires  great  caution  on  the  part  of  the  animals  to 
keep  their  feet.  The  scene  here  is  worth  pausing  to  view;  on  the  left 
extending  far  in  advance  are  the  abrupt  rocky  walls  of  the  old  crater  of 
Horama  800  feet  high,  with  various  flowering  plants  established  in  its  crevi- 
ces, but  far  too  sparse  to  form  a  continuous  covering  to  its  desolate  linea- 
ments ;  on  the  right  rises  the  vast  cone  of  Vesuvius,  dark  and  sombre, 
and  lifeless  externally,  more  than  a  thousand  feet  perpendicular  above 
the  path,  which  is  in  the  middle  of  the  valley.  About  two  miles  beyond 
the  Hermitage,  the  path  gradually  rising,  we  reach  the  place  of  ascent, 
which  is  an  inclined  plane,  constructed  of  fragments  of  lava  of  all^sizes 
thrown  irregularly  together  so  as  to  form  a  sort  of  stairs,  the  stones  giving 
a  tolerable  foothold,  but  without  any  order  or  regularity.  Dismounting, 
our  horses  were  taken  by  $>oy$,  each  of  whom  claims  his  pay  in  due  time. 
Then  came  a  busy  scene  ;  the  numerous  men  employed  to  aid  in  the 
ascent,  such  as  desired  it,  vociferously  urged  their  claims.  Two  of  our  party 
employed  a  sort  of  sedan  chair  arrangement  carried  by  four  men  ;  most 
of  the  others  received  aid  by  a  strap  held  by  a  man  in  advance,  whilst 
two  of  us  depended  solely  on  our  own  muscle  for  the  ascent.  It  was 
near  noon,  very  warm  for  the  season,  and  illy  prepared  by  a  partial 
breakfast,  we  addressed  ourselves  to  the  task.  In  recurring  to  the  effort 
it  required  to  mount  this  gigantic  stairs,  it  certainly  was  more  tiresome 
than  the  more  difficult  and  varied  ascent  of  Mount  Washington  ;  but  this 
arose  from  the  monotony  of  the  labor,  and  the  want  of  objects  to  attract 
the  attention  during  the  effort.  We  found  it  necessary  to  rest  at  inter- 
vals, but  accomplished  the  task  in  about  an  hour,  certainly  one  of  the 
least  acceptable  ever  undertaken.  But  on  gaining  the  top  we  were  repaid. 
Far  below  us  were  the  sedans  slowly  creeping  up,  with  foot  passengers 
scattered  on  the  way.  Our  horses  looked  like  dogs  in  size,  and  the  men 
like  ants  or  pebbles,  according  as  they  were  in  motion  or  quiescent,  so 
diminutive  did  they  appear  a  thousand  feet  below  us.  The  irregular  mo- 
tion of  the  sedan  must  be  attended  with  some  suspicions  of  danger  by 
the  uninitiated.  From  the  edge  of  the  cone  to  the  edge  of  the  crater  at 
this  point,  is  perhaps  a  furlong,  covered  with  scoria,  ashes  and  masses  of 
lava.  On  reaching  the  crater,  judge  of  our  disappointment  in  finding  a 
central  conical  mass  rising  in  the  centre,  higher  than  the  highest  edges 
of  the  crater,  which  was  filled  nearly  to  the  edge  with  solid  blocks  of  lava 
without  any  abyss,  or  indication  of  internal  activity,  not  even  visible  vapor. 
The  lava  was  rent  in  all  directions,  as  if  by  the  cooling  and  subsidence  of 
