and now we clearly saw
through the fellow's intention. If Herr Brettschneider and myself
had entered together, he would undoubtedly have shut the door, and
we should have been stifled in a few moments. We did not allow him
to notice our suspicions, but merely said that we could not spend
any more time here to-day on account of the lateness of the hour.
Our worthy friend accompanied us through a wild and gloomy region,
with his gun on his shoulder; and I was not a little afraid of him,
for he kept talking about his honesty and the good intentions he had
towards us. We kept, however, close beside him, and watched him
narrowly, without betraying any symptom of apprehension; and at
length, to our great relief, we gained the open road.

The royal villa of Portici lies about four "miglia" from Naples, and
we made an excursion thither by railway. Both the palace and the
gardens are handsome, and of considerable size. Thence we proceeded
to Resina. Portici and Resina are so closely connected together by
villas and houses, that a stranger would take them for one place.
Beneath Resina lies Herculaneum, a city destroyed seventy-nine years
after the birth of our Saviour. In the year 1689 a marquis caused a
well to be dug in his garden, when, at a depth of sixty-five feet,
the labourers came upon fragments of marble with divers
inscriptions. It was not until 1720 that systematic excavations
were made. Even then great caution was necessary, as Resina is
unfortunately built upon Herculaneum, and the safety of the houses
became endangered.

At Resina we procured torches and a guide, and descended to view the
subterranean city. We saw the theatre, a number of houses, several
temples, and the forum. Some fine frescoes are still to be
distinguished on the walls of the apartments. The floors are
covered with mosaic; but still this place does not offer nearly so
many objects of interest as another which was overwhelmed at the
same time--Pompeii.

Pompeii is without doubt the most remarkable city of its kind that
exists. A great portion of the town is surrounded by walls, and
entire rows of houses, several temples, the theatre, the forum, in
short a vast number of buildings, streets, and squares lay open
before us. The more I wandered through the streets and open places,
the more I involuntarily wondered not to find the inhabitants and
labourers employed in repairing the houses; I could hardly realise
the idea that so man