ERUPTION OF THE SOUFRIERE IN ST. VINCENT. 313 



But about '2 o'clock — to ([uoto the words of an cycw itiicss (Mr. T. 

 M. McDonald, of Richmond \'ale Estate)— ''tlicr<' was a ruinhlinoand 

 a large black outburst with showers of stones, all to windward, and 

 enormously increased activity over the whole an^a. A territic, huge 

 reddish and purplish curtain advanced to and over Richmoiul Estate." 

 This was the strange black cloud which, laden with hot dust, swept 

 with territic velocity down the mountain side, burying the country in 

 iiot sand, suffocating and burning all living creatures in its path, and 

 devouring the rich vegetation of the hill with one burning l)iast. 



On the leeward coast few w^ere overtaken by th(> black cloud, as the 

 inha])itants had tied and taken refuge in the villages south of Chateau- 

 l)elair. Those who were caught were killed or badly l)urned. One 

 boat was near Richmond at the time the blast swe})t down. They 

 descri])e the heat as fearful. Hot sand rained into the ]»oat and the 

 sea around was hissing with its heat. The darkness was so complete 

 that a man could not see his hand. They saved their lives ])y diving 

 into the water: Avhen they retui'ned to the surface the air was suffo- 

 cating, 1mt they contimied to dive again and again, and, when at their 

 last gasp, tiiey found that the air cleared and they could breathe 

 again. This occupied only a few minutes-— probably nuich less in 

 reality than it appeared to them. One man was too exhausted to con- 

 tinue diving; he clung to the gunwale of the ])oat, and the tops of his 

 ears were severely scorched. 



It may be worth while to quote the descriptions of a few^ spectators 

 who saw^ this cloud from a safe distance. Dr. Christian Branch, of 

 Kingstown, writes: 



'" We saw a solid black wall of smoke falling into the sea about 2 

 or 3 miles from us. It looked like a promontory of solid land, but 

 it rolled and tuml)led and spread itself out until in .i little time it 

 extended quite 8 miles over the sea to the west. * * * Then 

 began the most gorgeous display of lightning one could conceive. 

 * * * It was still bright daylight, but the whole atmosphere 

 quivered and thundered with wavy lines intersecting one another like 

 trelliswork. We wei'e encircled in a ring of tiery bayonets." 



Another eyewitness (the Rev. Mr. Darrell. of Kingstown), who 

 was in the same l)oat with Dr. Branch, describ(\s it as follows: 



'"•AVe were rapidly proceeding to our point of observation when w'e 

 saw an inuuense cloud — dark, dense, and apparently thick with vol- 

 canic material — descending over our pathway, im])eding our progress 

 and warning us to proceed no farther. This gigantic l)aid< of sul- 

 phurous vapor and smoke assumed at one time tlu; shape of a gigaiitic 

 promontory, then as a collection of twisting, revolving cloud whirls, 

 turning with rapid velocity — now assuming the shape of gigantic 

 cauliflowers, then efflorescing into beautiful llower shapes, some dark, 

 some effulgent, some In-onze, others pearly white, iuut all brilliantly 

 illumined b}- electric flashes." 



