an autobiography-第49部分

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sland　of　Capri。　　But　the　most　prominent　object　was　Vesuvius　in　front；　with　its　expanding　cloud　of　white　smoke　over　the　landscape。　　On　landing；　I　took　up　my　quarters　at　the　Hotel　Victoria。　　I　sallied　forth　to　take　my　first　hasty　view　of　the　Chiaia；　the　streets；　and　the　principal　buildings。　　But；　in　accordance　with　my　motto　of　〃Duty　first；　pleasure　second；〃　I　proceeded　to　attend　to　the　business　respecting　which　I　had　visited　Naples。　　That；　however；　was　soon　disposed　of。　　In　a　few　days　I　was　able　to　attend　to　pleasure。　I　made　my　way　to　the　Museo　Borbonico；　now　called　the　National　Museum。　I　found　it　a　rich　mine　of　precious　treasures；　consisting　of　Greek；　Etruscan；　and　Roman　antiquities　of　every　description。　Not　the　least　interesting　part　of　the　Museum　is　the　collection　of　marbles；　pictures；　and　articles　of　daily　use；　dug　from　the　ruins　of　the　buried　city　of　Pompeii。　　Every　spare　hour　that　I　could　command　was　occupied　in　visiting　and　revisiting　this　wonderful　Museum。

Herculaneum　and　Pompeii　were　also　visited；　but；　more　than　all；　the　crater　of　Vesuvius。　　During　my　visit　the　mountain　was　in　its　normal　state。　　I　mounted　the　volcanic　ashes　with　which　it　is　strewn；　and　got　to　the　top。　　There　I　could　look　down　into　the　pit　from　which　the　clouds　of　steam　are　vomited　forth。　　I　went　down　to　the　very　edge　of　the　crater；　stood　close　to　its　mouth；　and　watched　the　intermittent　up…rushing　of　the　blasts　of　vapour　and　sulphureous　gases。　To　keep　clear　of　these　I　stood　to　the　windward　side；　and　was　thus　out　of　harm's　way。

What　struck　me　most　was　the　wonderfully　brilliant　colours　of　the　rugged　lava　rocks　forming　the　precipitous　cliffs　of　the　interior　walls　of　the　crater。　　These　brilliant　colours　were　the　result　of　the　sublimation　and　condensation　on　their　surfaces　of　the　combinations　of　sulphur　and　chloride　of　iron；　quite　as　bright　as　if　they　had　been　painted　with　bright　red；　chrome；　and　all　the　most　brilliant　tints。　Columns　of　all　manner　of　chemical　vapours　ascended　from　the　clefts　and　deep　cracks；　at　the　bottom　of　which　I　clearly　saw　the　bright　hot　lava。

I　rolled　as　big　a　mass　of　cool　lava　as　I　could　to　the　edge　of　the　crater　and　heaved　it　down；　but　I　heard　no　sound。　　Doubtless　the　depth　was　vast；　or　it　might　probably　have　fallen　into　the　molten　lava；　and　thus　made　no　noise。　　On　leaving　this　horrible　pit　edge；　I　tied　the　card　of　the　Bridgewater　Foundry　to　a　bit　of　lava　and　threw　it　in；　as　token　of　respectful　civility　to　Vulcan；　the　head　of　our　craft。

I　had　considerably　more　difficulty　in　clambering　up　to　the　top　edge　of　the　crater　than　I　had　in　coming　down。　　Once　or　twice；　indeed；　I　was　half　choked　by　the　swirls　of　sulphureous　and　muriatic　acid　vapour　that　environed　me　before　I　could　reach　the　upper　edge。　　I　sat　down　in　a　nook；　though　it　was　a　very　hot　one；　and　made　a　sketch　or　two　of　the　appearance　of　the　crater。　　But　I　feel　that　it　is　quite　beyond　my　power　either　by　pen　or　pencil；　to　convey　an　idea　of　the　weird　unearthly　aspect　which　the　funnel…shaped　crater　of　Vesuvius　presented　at　that　time。　　An　eruption　of　unusual　violence　had　occurred　shortly　before　I　saw　it。　　Great　rounded　blocks　of　lava　had　been　thrown　high　into　the　air　again　and　again；　and　had　fallen　back　into　the　terrible　focus　of　volcanic　violence。　　Vast　portions　of　the　rugged　and　precipitous　sides　of　the　crater　had　fallen　in；　and　were　left　in　a　state　of　the　wildest　confusion。　　When　I　visited　the　place　the　eruption　had　comparatively　subsided。　　The　throat　of　the　crater　was　a　rugged　opening　of　more　than　forty　feet　diameter；　leading　down　toWhere？　　Echo　answers；　〃Where？〃　And　yet　there　is　no　doubt　but　that　the　great　mass　of　materials　which　lay　around　me　as　I　made　my　sketches；　had　been　shot　up　from　inconceivable　depths　beneath　the　solid　crust　of　the　earth。　There　still　remains　an　enormous　mass　of　molten　materials　that　has　been　shut　up　beneath　that　crust　since　the　surface　of　the　globe　assumed　its　present　condition。　　The　mineral　matter　that　formed　the　globe　had　converged　towards　its　centre　of　gravity；　and　the　arrestment　of　the　momentum　of　the　coalescing　particles　resulted　in　intense　heat。　Hence　the　molten　condition　of　the　globe　in　its　primitive　state。　The　molten　lava　of　volcanoes　is　the　survival　of　that　original　cosmical　heat。

This　heat　has　played　a　great　part　in　the　physical　history　of　the　globe。　Volcanic　action　has　been；　as　it　were；　the　universal　plough！　It　has　given　us　mountains；　hills；　and　valleys。　　It　has　given　us　picturesque　scenery；　gorges；　precipices；　waterfalls。　　The　up　heaving　agent　has　displayed　the　mineral　treasures　of　the　earth；　and　enabled　man；　by　intelligent　industry；　to　use　them　as　mines　of　material　blessings。　This　is　indeed　a　great　and　sublime　subject。

I　had　remained　near　the　mouth　of　the　crater　for　about　five　hours。　Evening　was　approaching。　　My　drawings　were　finished；　and　I　prepared　to　leave。　　My　descent　from　the　summit　of　the　crater　edge　was　comparatively　rapid；　though　every　footstep　went　down　some　fifteen　inches　through　the　volcanic　ashes。　　I　descended　by　the　eastern　side；　and　was　soon　at　the　base　of　the　great　cone。　　I　made　my　way　by　tortuous　walking　round　the　erupted　masses　of　lava；　and　also　by　portions　of　the　lava　streams；　which；　on　losing　their　original　fluidity；　had　become　piled　up　and　contorted　into　gigantic　masses。

At　the　extreme　edges　of　the　flow；　where　the　lava　had　become　viscid；　these　folds　and　contortions　were　very　remarkable。　　They　were　piled　fold　over　fold；the　result　of　the　mighty　pressure　from　behind。　It　was　sad　to　see　so　many　olive　gardens　burnt　and　destroyed；　the　trees　were　as　black　as　charcoal。　　It　is　singular　to　see　the　numbers　of　orange　and　olive　growers　who　choose　to　live　so　near　to　the　〃fiery　element。〃　　But　the　heat　presses　forward　the　growth　of　vegetation。　To　be　there　is　like　living　in　a　hothouse；　and　the　soil　is　extraordinarily　fertile。　　Hence　the　number　of　vineyards　quite　close　to　the　base　of　Vesuvius。　　The　cultivators　endeavour　to　enclose　their　gardens　with　hard　masses　of　lava；　so　as　to　turn　off　the　flow　of　the　molten　streams　in　other　directions；　but　the　lava　bursts　through　the　walls　again　and　again；　and　the　gardens　are　often　utterly　burnt　up　and　ruined。　　Almost　every　field　at　the　base　of　Vesuvius　contains　a　neat　little　oratory；　with　a　statue　of　the　Virgin　and　Child；　to　which　the　cultivators　repair　in　times　of　peril　and　calamity。　　But　chapel；　statue；　and　gardens　are　alike　swept　away　by　the　tremendous　descent　of　the　molten　lava。

As　the　night　was　growing　dark；　I　made　my　way　from　these　riskful　farms　to　Rosina；　a　little　village　on　the　way　back　to　Naples。　　As　I　had　had　nothing　to　eat　or　drink　during　this　thirst…producing　journey；　I　went　into　a　wine　shop　and　asked　for　some　refreshment。　　The　wine　shop　was　a　sort　of　vault；　with　a　door　like　that　of　a　coach…house；　but　with　a　bench　and　narrow　table。　　The　good　woman　brought　me　a　great　green　glass　bottle　like　a　vitriol　carboy！　　It　contained　more　than　six　gallons　of　wine；　and　she　left　me　with　a　big　glass　to　satisfy　my　wants。　　The　wine　was　the　veritable　Lachryma；　Christia　delightful　light　claretfor　producing　which　the　vineyards　at　the　base　of　Vesuvius　are　famous。　After　some　most　glorious　swigs　from　this　generous　and　jovial　carboy；　accompanied　with　some　delightful　fresh　made　bread；　I　felt　myself　up　to　anything。　　After　washing　down　the　dust　that　I　had　swallowed　during　the　day；　I　settled　with　my　liberal　landlady　（indeed　she　was　mightily　pleased　with　only　tenpence）；　and　started　for　Naples。

I　had　still　an　eight…mile　walk　before　me；　but　that　was　nothing　to　my　vigorous　powers　at　that　time。　　The　moon　had　risen　during　my　stay　in　the　wine　house；　and　it　shone　with　a　bright　clear　light。　　After　a　few　miles'　walking　I　felt　a　little　tired；　for　the　day's　exercise　had　been　rather　toilsome。　　A　fine　carriage　passed　me　on　the　road　with　a　most　tempting　platform　behind。　　I　hailed　the　driver；　and　was　allowed　to　mount。　　I　was　soon　bowling　along　the　lava　paved　road；　and　in　a　short　time　I　arrived　at　Naples。　　I　made　another　excursion　to　the　crater　of　Vesuvius　before　I　left；　as　well　as　visits　to　Herculaneum　and　Pompeii；　which　exceedingly　interested　me。　　But　these　I　need　not　attempt　to　relate。　　I　refer　my　readers　to　Murray's　Guide　Book；　where　both　are　admirably　described。

After　completing　my　business　affairs　at　Naples；　and　sowing　the　seeds　of　several　orders；　which　afterwards　bore　substantial　results；　I　left　the　city　by　the　same　line　of　steamers。　　I　passed　again　Civita　Vecchia；　Leghorn；　Genoa；　and　Marseilles。　　On　passing　through　the　South　of　France　I　visited　the　works　of　several　of　our　employers；　and　carried　back　with　me　many　orders。　　It　was　when　at　Creuzot　that　I　saw　the　child　of　my　brain；　the　steam　hammer；　in　full　and　efficient　work。　But　this　I　have　referred　to　in　a　previous　chapter。


CHAPTER　15。　　Steam　Hammer　Pile…driver。　　　　　　　　

In　1840　I　furnished　Sir　Edward　Parry　with　a　drawing　of　my　steam　hammer；　in　the　hope　that　I　might　induce　him　to　recommend　its　adoption　in　the　Royal　Dockyards。　　Sir　Edward　was　at　that　time　the　head　director　of　the　steam　marine　of　England。　　That　was　after　the　celebrity　he　had　acquired　through　his　Arctic　voyages。　　I　was　of　opinion　that　the　hammer　might　prove　exceedingly　useful　in　forging　anchors　and　large　iron　work　in　those　great　establishments。　　Sir　Edward　appeared　to　be　much　struck　with　the　simplicity　and　probable　efficiency　of　the　invention。　But　the　Admiralty　Board　were　very　averse　to　introducing　new　methods　of　manufacturing　into　the　dockyards。　　Accordingly；　my　interview　with　Sir　Edward　Parry；　notwithstanding　his　good　opinion；　proved　fruitless。

Time　passed　by。　　I　had　furnished　steam　hammers　to　the　principal　foundries　in　England。　　I　had　sent　them　abroad；　even　to　Russia。　At　length　it　became　known　to　the　Lords　of　the　Admiralty　that　a　new　power　in　forging　had　been　introduced。　　This　was　in　1843；　three　years　after　I　had　submitted　my　design　to　Sir　Edward　Parry。　　The　result　was　that　my　Lords　appointed　a　deputation　of　intelligent　officers　to　visit　my　foundry　at　Patricroft　to　see　the　new　invention。　　It　consisted　of　Captain　Benison　（brother　of　the　late　Speaker）；　and　Captain　Burgman；　Resident　Engineer　at　Devonport　Dockyard。　　They　were　well　able　to　understand　the　powerful　agency　of　the　steam　hammer　for　marine　forge　work。　　I　gave　them　every　opportunity　for　observing　its　action。　They　were　much　pleased；　and　I　ma