As our friends approached, the scene was so strange and novel, they thought they had never before seen anything quite so interesting. The glare of the volcano half lighted the level plain giving a reddish glow to everything within its rays, and the lights inside the tents throwing out the varied colors of the beautiful cloth, made these tents look like huge, Japanese lanterns. The ashes had been removed from the floor of each tent and piled up at one side, thus giving a clean floor for the rugs and small mattresses which were used for sleeping on.
As our party came up the whole body of men, who had been informed of the King’s approach, drew up in front of the camp in a line along the avenue, and waited for him to say something to them.
“My men,” said the King, “you are called here on a mission which had never before fallen to the lot of Onians. A great storm has visited On and has left as a legacy of its mighty strength, a great crack in the wall which surrounds our world. This must not remain so, for it is meant that we should be guarded by the wall, and consequently we must close up the trench. It will be a mighty undertaking, the great wall about the hunting reserve being nothing in comparison to it. It will require a great length of time to do this work and you who have come to do this, will have to remain here at the same work until it is finished, as it will be impossible to go from here each day and take up other duties. We are a great distance from the city, and it will not be possible for you to return frequently, but this you shall do as often as you decide upon among yourselves. To-morrow we will move to the pit where the great work is to be done, and after finishing all preliminary arrangements we will commence at once.
“This is to protect our good country and I know the work will be done well and quickly. Until to-morrow, then, I will bid you farewell.”
The men bowed in their stately way and the King and his party moved on to the villa.
The volcano seemed to be especially active to-night, the smoke not being as black, but more steam seemed to be mixed with it. The fires, too, seemed to be very active, for the glare would be very bright at times and illuminate the entire heavens, and then dying until scarcely a ray of light could be seen. And several times during the evening a low rumbling was heard, and the earth trembled slightly; then the volcano would throw forth an immense shower of hot ashes, rocks and stones and make the hissing noise, reaching over this great distance to the party at the villa, who were on the terrace watching the scene which was ever changing and ever interesting.
“It is more fitful to-night than ever,” said Mr. Bruce, to Mr. Graham.
“Yes,” said Mr. Graham, “and I think we are foolish in staying so close to this seething mass of lava, rock and ashes which may overflow its bounds and engulf us at any moment.”
“But we are far enough away to escape if we should be threatened,” said Mr. Bruce.
“So the Pompeiians and even those of Herculaneum thought, as they laughed and jested on, while old Vesuvius was preparing to bury them,” said Mr. Graham.