mountain commences.
Pompeii, however, is much farther on, and usually requires a separate
day.

Besides, it takes much longer to visit Pompeii than Herculaneum, on
account of there being go much more to see there. The reason for this
is, that the excavations have been carried on much farther at Pompeii
than at Herculaneum. Herculaneum was buried up in lava, and the lava,
when it cooled, became as hard as a stone; whereas Pompeii was only
covered with ashes and cinders, which are very easily dug away.

Besides, Herculaneum was buried very deep, so that, in order to get to
it, you have to go far down under ground. The fact that there was an
ancient city buried there was discovered about a hundred and fifty years
ago, by a man digging a well in the ground above. In digging this well,
the workmen came upon some statues and other remains of ancient art.
They dug these things out, and afterwards the excavations were continued
for many years; but the difficulties in the way were so great, on
account of the depth below the surface of the ground where the work was
to be done, and also on account of the hardness of the lava, that after
a while it was abandoned. People, however, now go down sometimes through
a shaft made near the well by which the first discovery was made, and
ramble about, by the light of torches, which they carry with them, among
the rubbish in the subterranean chambers.

The site of Pompeii was discovered in the same way with Herculaneum,
namely, by the digging of a well. Pompeii, however, as has already been
said, was not buried nearly as deep as Herculaneum, and the substances
which covered it were found to be much softer, and more easily removed.
Consequently a great deal more has been done at Pompeii than at
Herculaneum in making excavations. Nearly a third of the whole city has
now been explored, and the work is still going on.

The chief inducement for continuing to dig out these old ruins, is to
recover the various pictures, sculptures, utensils, and other curious
objects that are found in the houses. These things, as fast as they are
found, are brought to Naples, and deposited in an immense museum, which
has been built there to receive them.

You will see in a future chapter how Rollo went to see this museum.

Vesuvius, Herculaneum, and Pompeii are all to the eastward of Naples,
following the shore of the bay. To the westward, at the distance of
about a mile or two from the centre of the town, is