4 Defcnption of the Volcano in St. Lucia. 



covered with a multitude of air bubbles, fo that it fparkles 

 like champagne. Thefe bubbles exhibit all the phenomena 

 of oxygen gas, which probably is difengaged from oxydes of 

 various kinds with which it was combined in the earth. 

 What among the phenomena of the crater excites moft won- 

 der are, twenty-two large bafons, full of boiling water; fome 

 of which are twenty feet in diameter, and which maybe 

 confidered as monftrous cauldrons placed over the moft vio- 

 lent fire. The ebullition is fo firong that water bubble- i oi 

 four or live feet in height are thrown up, which rail'e the 

 thermometer far above the boiling point; but this howe\er 

 is the cafe onlv in thofe where the water is from one to two 

 feet in depth, though the depth in general amounts to eight 

 or ten feet. You may walk round the edge of them without 

 any danger, and contemplate at leifure this aftoniming quan- 

 tity of boiling water. It is of a black colour, oily, covered 

 with leum al the edges, and diffufes a vapour which obfeures 

 the atmofphere. From this ebullition and high ftate of the 

 thermometer, we might be induced to believe, that there is. 

 a great quantity of heat in thefe bafons; but if you put 

 your hand into the water, you find the heat lei's than that of 

 boiling water. The ebullition alfo may proceed onlv from 

 the vapours which rife from the bottom of the excavations. 

 with fo much ilrength that they give the water a boiling 

 movement; and, in the like manner, the riling- of the ther- 

 mometer ought to be afcribed to thefe vapours alfo. The fur- 

 face of the ground is of a pale vellow colour, and befprinkled 

 with a multitude of fmall finning cryftals, for the mod part 

 cryftals of i'ulphur. The upper part of the crater, towards 

 the fouth-eaft, riles exc edingly llecp, and is covered with a 

 great number of other cryftals lying in a kind of earth, winch 

 is partly calcareous, and partly of an unctuous nature like 

 clay, Among thefe cryftals there are fome fhaped like flat 

 needles, and which are real cr\ dais of fulphat of lime. Others 

 exhibit all the properties of fulphat of alumine ; others ap- 

 pear like fulphat of iron 3 greatly fuperfatu rated with the acid;- 



audi 



