the complete writings-2-第42章

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the　lava　of　1858；　and　the　wild　desolation　and　gloom　of　the　mountain　began　to　strike　us。　　One　is　here　conscious　of　the　titanic　forces　at　work。　　Sometimes　it　is　as　if　a　giant　had　ploughed　the　ground；　and　left　the　furrows　without　harrowing　them　to　harden　into　black　and　brown　stone。　　We　could　see　again　how　the　broad　stream；　flowing　down；　squeezed　and　squashed　like　mud；　had　taken　all　fantastic　shapes；now　like　gnarled　tree　roots；　now　like　serpents　in　a　coil；　here　the　human　form；　or　a　part　of　it；a　torso　or　a　limb；in　agony；　now　in　other　nameless　convolutions　and　contortions；　as　if　heaved　up　and　twisted　in　fiery　pain　and　suffering；for　there　was　almost　a　human　feeling　in　it；　and　again　not　unlike　stone　billows。　　We　could　see　how　the　cooling　crust　had　been　lifted　and　split　and　turned　over　by　the　hot　stream　underneath；　which；　continually　oozing　from　the　rent　of　the　eruption；　bore　it　down　and　pressed　it　upward。　　Even　so　low　as　the　point　where　we　crossed　the　lava　of　1858　were　fissures　whence　came　hot　air。

An　hour　brought　us　to　the　resting…place　called　the　Hermitage；　an　osteria　and　observatory　established　by　the　government。　　Standing　upon　the　end　of　a　spur；　it　seems　to　be　safe　from　the　lava；　whose　course　has　always　been　on　either　side；　but　it　must　be　an　uncomfortable　place　in　a　shower　of　stones　and　ashes。　　We　rode　half　an　hour　longer　on　horseback；　on　a　nearly　level　path；　to　the　foot　of　the　steep　ascent；　the　base　of　the　great　crater。　　This　ride　gave　us　completely　the　wide　and　ghastly　desolation　of　the　mountain；　the　ruin　that　the　lava　has　wrought　upon　slopes　that　were　once　green　with　vine　and　olive；　and　busy　with　the　hum　of　life。　　This　black；　contorted　desert　waste　is　more　sterile　and　hopeless　than　any　mountain　of　stone；　because　the　idea　of　relentless　destruction　is　involved　here。　　This　great　hummocked；　sloping　plain；　ridged　and　seamed；　was　all　about　us；　without　cheer　or　relaxation　of　grim　solitude。　　Before　us　rose；　as　black　and　bare；　what　the　guides　call　the　mountain；　and　which　used　to　be　the　crater。　　Up　one　side　is　worked　in　the　lava　a　zigzag　path；　steep；　but　not　very　fatiguing；　if　you　take　it　slowly。　　Two　thirds　of　the　way　up；　I　saw　specks　of　people　climbing。　　Beyond　it　rose　the　cone　of　ashes；　out　of　which　the　great　cloud　of　sulphurous　smoke　rises　and　rolls　night　and　day　now。　　On　the　very　edge　of　that；　on　the　lip　of　it；　where　the　smoke　rose；　I　also　saw　human　shapes；　and　it　seemed　as　if　they　stood　on　the　brink　of　Tartarus　and　in　momently　imminent　peril。

We　left　our　horses　in　a　wild　spot；　where　scorched　boulders　had　fallen　upon　the　lava　bed；　and　guides　and　boys　gathered　about　us　like　cormorants：　but；　declining　their　offers　to　pull　us　up；　we　began　the　ascent；　which　took　about　three　quarters　of　an　hour。　　We　were　then　on　the　summit；　which　is；　after　all；　not　a　summit　at　all；　but　an　uneven　waste；　sloping　away　from　the　Cone　in　the　center。　　This　sloping　lava　waste　was　full　of　little　cracks；not　fissures　with　hot　lava　in　them；　or　anything　of　the　sort；out　of　which　white　steam　issued；　not　unlike　the　smoke　from　a　great　patch　of　burned　timber；　and　the　wind　blew　it　along　the　ground　towards　us。　　It　was　cool；　for　the　sun　was　hidden　by　light　clouds；　but　not　cold。　　The　ground　under　foot　was　slightly　warm。　I　had　expected　to　feel　some　dread；　or　shrinking；　or　at　least　some　sense　of　insecurity；　but　I　did　not　the　slightest；　then　or　afterwards；　and　I　think　mine　is　the　usual　experience。　　I　had　no　more　sense　of　danger　on　the　edge　of　the　crater　than　I　had　in　the　streets　of　Naples。

We　next　addressed　ourselves　to　the　Cone；　which　is　a　loose　hill　of　ashes　and　sand；a　natural　slope；　I　should　say；　of　about　one　and　a　half　to　one；　offering　no　foothold。　　The　climb　is　very　fatiguing；　because　you　sink　in　to　the　ankles；　and　slide　back　at　every　step；　but　it　is　short；we　were　up　in　six　to　eight　minutes；though　the　ladies；　who　had　been　helped　a　little　by　the　guides；　were　nearly　exhausted；　and　sank　down　on　the　very　edge　of　the　crater；　with　their　backs　to　the　smoke。　　What　did　we　see？　　What　would　you　see　if　you　looked　into　a　steam　boiler？　　We　stood　on　the　ashy　edge　of　the　crater；　the　sharp　edge　sloping　one　way　down　the　mountain；　and　the　other　into　the　bowels；　whence　the　thick；　stifling　smoke　rose。　　We　rolled　stones　down；　and　heard　them　rumbling　for　half　a　minute。　　The　diameter　of　the　crater　on　the　brink　of　which　we　stood　was　said　to　be　an　eighth　of　a　mile；　but　the　whole　was　completely　filled　with　vapor。　　The　edge　where　we　stood　was　quite　warm。

We　ate　some　rolls　we　had　brought　in　our　pockets；　and　some　of　the　party　tried　a　bottle　of　the　wine　that　one　of　the　cormorants　had　brought　up；　but　found　it　anything　but　the　Lachryma　Christi　it　was　named。　　We　looked　with　longing　eyes　down　into　the　vapor…boiling　caldron；　we　looked　at　the　wide　and　lovely　view　of　land　and　sea；　we　tried　to　realize　our　awful　situation；　munched　our　dry　bread；　and　laughed　at　the　monstrous　demands　of　the　vagabonds　about　us　for　money；　and　then　turned　and　went　down　quicker　than　we　came　up。

We　had　chosen　to　ascend　to　the　old　crater　rather　than　to　the　new　one　of　the　recent　eruption　on　the　side　of　the　mountain；　where　there　is　nothing　to　be　seen。　　When　we　reached　the　bottom　of　the　Cone；　our　guide　led　us　to　the　north　side；　and　into　a　region　that　did　begin　to　look　like　business。　　The　wind　drove　all　the　smoke　round　there；　and　we　were　half　stifled　with　sulphur　fumes　to　begin　with。　　Then　the　whole　ground　was　discolored　red　and　yellow；　and　with　many　more　gay　and　sulphur…suggesting　colors。　　And　it　actually　had　deep　fissures　in　it；　over　which　we　stepped　and　among　which　we　went；　out　of　which　came　blasts　of　hot；　horrid　vapor；　with　a　roaring　as　if　we　were　in　the　midst　of　furnaces。　　And　if　we　came　near　the　cracks　the　heat　was　powerful　in　our　faces；　and　if　we　thrust　our　sticks　down　them　they　were　instantly　burned；　and　the　guides　cooked　eggs；　and　the　crust　was　thin；　and　very　hot　to　our　boots；　and　half　the　time　we　couldn't　see　anything；　and　we　would　rush　away　where　the　vapor　was　not　so　thick；　and；　with　handkerchiefs　to　our　mouths；　rush　in　again　to　get　the　full　effect。　　After　we　came　out　again　into　better　air；　it　was　as　if　we　had　been　through　the　burning；　fiery　furnace；　and　had　the　smell　of　it　on　our　garments。　　And；　indeed；　the　sulphur　had　changed　to　red　certain　of　our　clothes；　and　noticeably　my　pantaloons　and　the　black　velvet　cap　of　one　of　the　ladies；　and　it　was　some　days　before　they　recovered　their　color。　　But；　as　I　say；　there　was　no　sense　of　danger　in　the　adventure。

We　descended　by　a　different　route；　on　the　south　side　of　the　mountain；　to　our　horses；　and　made　a　lark　of　it。　　We　went　down　an　ash　slope；　very　steep；　where　we　sank　in　a　foot　or　little　less　at　every　step；　and　there　was　nothing　to　do　for　it；　but　to　run　and　jump。　　We　took　steps　as　long　as　if　we　had　worn　seven…league　boots。　　When　the　whole　party　got　in　motion；　the　entire　slope　seemed　to　slide　a　little　with　us；　and　there　appeared　some　danger　of　an　avalanche。　　But　we　did　n't　stop　for　it。　　It　was　exactly　like　plunging　down　a　steep　hillside　that　is　covered　thickly　with　light；　soft　snow。　　There　was　a　gray…haired　gentleman　with　us；　with　a　good　deal　of　the　boy　in　him；　who　thought　it　great　fun。

I　have　said　little　about　the　view；　but　I　might　have　written　about　nothing　else；　both　in　the　ascent　and　descent。　　Naples；　and　all　the　villages　which　rim　the　bay　with　white；　the　gracefully　curving　arms　that　go　out　to　sea；　and　do　not　quite　clasp　rocky　Capri；　which　lies　at　the　entrance；　made　the　outline　of　a　picture　of　surpassing　loveliness。　But　as　we　came　down；　there　was　a　sight　that　I　am　sure　was　unique。　　As　one　in　a　balloon　sees　the　earth　concave　beneath；　so　now；　from　where　we　stood；　it　seemed　to　rise；　not　fall；　to　the　sea；　and　all　the　white　villages　were　raised　to　the　clouds；　and　by　the　peculiar　light；　the　sea　looked　exactly　like　sky；　and　the　little　boats　on　it　seemed　to　float；　like　balloons　in　the　air。　　The　illusion　was　perfect。　　As　the　day　waned；　a　heavy　cloud　hid　the　sun；　and　so　let　down　the　light　that　the　waters　were　a　dark　purple。　　Then　the　sun　went　behind　Posilipo　in　a　perfect　blaze　of　scarlet；　and　all　the　sea　was　violet。　　Only　it　still　was　not　the　sea　at　all；　but　the　little　chopping　waves　looked　like　flecked　clouds；　and　it　was　exactly　as　if　one　of　the　violet；　cloud…beautified　skies　that　we