104 Mr Loudon's Visit to the Valley of Death, 



breathing, but|an offensive nauseous smell annoyed us. We now 

 fastened a dog to the end of a bamboo, 18 feet long, and sent 

 him in, we had our watches in our hands, and in 14 seconds he 

 fell on his back, did not move his limbs or look round, but con- 

 tinued to breathe 18 minutes. We then sent in another, or rather 

 he got loose from the bamboo, but walked in to where the other 

 dog was lying : he then stood quite still, and in 10 seconds he fell 

 on his face, and never moved his limbs afterwards : he continued 

 to breathe for 7 minutes. We now tried a fowl, which died in 1^ 

 minute. We threw in another, which died before touching the 

 ground. During these experiments we experienced a heavy 

 shower of rain ; but we were so interested by the awful scene 

 before us, that we did not care for getting wet. On the oppo- 

 site side, near a large stone, was the skeleton of a human being, 

 who must have perished on his back, with the right arm under 

 the head, from being exposed to the weather, the bones were 

 bleached as white as ivory. I was anxious to procure this skele- 

 ton, but any attempt to get at it would have been madness. After 

 remaining two hours in this Valley of Death, we returned, but 

 found spme difficulty in getting out. From the heavy shower, 

 the sides of the valley were very slippery, and had it not been 

 for two Javanese behind us, we might have found it no easy 

 matter to escape from this pestilential spot. On reaching our 

 rendezvous we had some brandy and water, and left this most 

 extraordinary valley, came down the slippery footpath, some- 

 times on our hams and hands to the main road, mounted our 

 horses, and returned to Balor, quite pleased with our trip. 

 The human skeletons are supposed to have been rebels, who 

 had been pursued from the main road, and taken refuge in the 

 different valleys, as a wanderer cannot know his danger till he 

 is in the valley, and when once there, one has not the power or 

 presence of mind to return. 



" There is a great difference between this valley and the Grotto 

 del Cano, near Naples, where the air is confined to a small aper- 

 ture ; while here the circumference is fully half a mile, and not 

 the least smell of sulphur, nor any appearance of an eruption 

 ever having taken place near it, although I am aware that the 

 whole chain of mountains is volcanic;, as there are two craters 



