scores of eruptions since that in which Herculaneum and Pompeii were
overthrown, but the sides of the mountain have never been seriously
disturbed.

A road on Vesuvius gave promise of being a good speculation. Naples and
the other resorts of the neighborhood annually attracted many thousands
of visitors, and a considerable number of these every year ascended the
volcano, even when forced to contend with all the difficulties of the
way. Many, however, desiring to ascend, but being unable or unwilling to
walk up, a chair service was established--a peculiar chair being slung
on poles and borne by porters. In course of time the chair service
proved to be inadequate for the numbers who desired to make the ascent,
and the time was deemed fit for the establishment of more speedy
communication.

Notwithstanding the necessity, the proposal to establish a railroad met
with general derision, but the scheme was soon shown to be perfectly
practicable, and a beginning was made in 1879. The road is what is known
as a cable road, there being a single sleeper with three rails, one on
the top which really bore the weight, and one on each side near the
bottom, which supported the wheels, which coming out from the axle at a
sharp angle, prevented the vehicle from being overturned. The road
covers the last 4,000 feet of the ascent, and the power house is at the
bottom, a steel cable running up, passing round a wheel at the top and
returning to the engine in the power house. The ascent to the lower
terminus of the road is made on mules or donkeys; then, in a comfortable
car, the traveler is carried to a point not far from the crater. The car
is a combined grip and a passenger car, similar in some points to the
grip car of the present day, while the seats of the passenger portion
are inclined as in the cars on the Rigi road. But the angle of the road
being from thirty-three to forty-five degrees, makes both ascent and
descent seem fearfully perilous. Every precaution, however, is taken to
insure the safety of passengers; each car is provided with several
strong and independent brakes, and thus far no accident worth recording
has occurred. The road was opened in June, 1880. Although there have
been several considerable eruptions since that date, none of them did
any damage to the line but what was repaired in a few hours.

The fashion thus set will, no doubt, be followed in many other quarters.
Wherever there is sufficient travel to pay wo