in the IJland of St. Lucij. $ 



the centre or focus. In looking down into the crater great 

 care muft be taken that the ground, which rings below the 

 feet, docs not fink, which would expofe the legs to the dan- 

 ger of being burnt. For this reafon it is ufual to fend a 

 guide before to point out the places that are fecure, efpecially 

 when the weather is changeable ; for people may then be 

 fpeedily furrounded by vapours tbat altnoft obfeure the fun. 

 It has alfo been remarked, that during rain the vapours are 

 more abundant and thicker than at other times. It is diffi- 

 cult to fay with any certainty what is the nature of the foil 

 to be paffed over in order to enter the crater ; but it feemsi 

 to confift of decompofed remains, or the fcoriae of different 

 minerals, and particularly of pyrites, which however have 

 changed their nature. As you advance farther, the furface 

 of the earth appears more and more covered with fulphur, 

 and you find a number of fmall f piracies, from which arifes 

 a burning vapour, and which are covered on the fides with 

 fublimed fulphur that has a very beautiful appearance. All 

 thefe apertures may be confidered as fo many apparatufes 

 for diftillation, which nature has prepared, in order to purify 

 the fulphur. If you ftrike your ftick againft the ground in 

 this fpot, it occafions a vent of that kind, through which the 

 vapour iffues with a ftrong hiffing noife, and fo hot that it 

 raifes the thermometer ten degrees above the boiling point. 

 From thefe apertures, whether the work of nature or of art, 

 it appears that the whole furrounding diftrict below the fur- 

 face is filled with boiling water ; but this water does not 

 proceed from rain or from fprings in the crater, but, in all 

 probability, from the mountain which rifes above the vol- 

 cano on the eaftern fide. This is the more credible, as the 

 top of this mountain ends in a kind of funnel, which is of 

 great width, and confifts of very niarfhy ground. Several 

 fmall ftreams iffue from it alfo at different heights, and, 

 after traverfnig the furface of the crater, purfuc their way 

 through the valley and difeharge themfelves into the fea. 

 The water of all thefe dreams is exceedingly warm, and Is 

 B 2 covered 



