An early visit was made to Herculaneum and Pompeii, on Mount Vesuvius. After being buried in lava or ashes for 1,600 years their discovery was remarkable. A nobleman residing near Portici, a spot of high elevation, thought that if he could penetrate the various beds of lava by sinking a shaft he might find water. After sinking about seventy feet, the workmen came upon a flight of marble steps, which, being followed, led into a theatre in Herculaneum. There had been a statue near this place, which had been thrown down, and in the lava which had flown over it was found a fine cast of the statue. The theatre was excavated, and some other buildings, but the city having been destroyed by lava, it was too costly to make very extensive excavations, and everything perishable was destroyed by the burning lava. Pompeii had been buried in ashes, and was situated on a plain, at the foot of Vesuvius. A vineyard had been planted over its site. On ploughing the land nearly a century back, the workmen were obstructed by a stone wall; and on excavations being made, houses were discovered which proved to be part of the ancient city of Pompeii. When visited by me a large portion had been cleared. Its overthrow had evidently taken the inhabitants by surprise, for many skeletons were found in the houses. One of them had been laid prostrate on his face, with a bunch of keys in one hand and some coins in the other. Many signs and names over shops remained, and in the streets paved with lava the ruts of cart wheels were visible. Fresco paintings on the walls still remained; and also the inscriptions on tombs in the burial-ground. There were some temples, but of no great magnitude, and the houses generally had but one story.