70 Description of the "Eruption of Souffrier Mountain. 



lated ; and it is remarkable, that throughout the whole of 

 this violent di-lurbance oF the earth it continued cjuite 

 passive, and did not at any time sympathize with the agi- 

 tation of the land About four o'clock P. M. the noise 

 became more alarminsj:, and just before sun-set the clouds 

 teflccted a bright cnpper-cohnir, suffused with fire. Scarcely 

 had the day closed, when the fiame burst at length pyrami- 

 dally trom the crater through the mass of smoke; the roll- 

 ing of the iliunder became more awful and deafening: 

 electric flashf- quicklv succeeded, attended with loud claps; 

 and now, indeed, the hurlyburly began. Those only who 

 have witnessed such a sioht rin form any idea of the mag- 

 nificence and variety of the lightiuug and electric flashes ; 

 some toiked zigzag playing across the perpendicular co- 

 lumn frottj the crater — others shooting upwards from the 

 jnouth like rockc: s of the nii^st dazzling lustre — other-; like 

 shells with their trailing fuses flying in diflerent parabolas, 

 with the most vivid scmtdlations Irnm the dark sanguine 

 column, which now seemed infltxible, and immoveable by 

 the wind. Shortly after 7 P. M. the mighty caldron was 

 seen to simmer, and the ebullition of lava to break out on 

 the N.W. side. This, immediaielv after boiling over the 

 orifice and flowing a short way, was opposed by the ac- 

 divity of a higher point of land, over which it was im- 

 pelled by the immense tide of liquefied fire that drove it on, 

 forming the figure V in grand illumination. Sometimes, 

 when the ebullition slackened, or was insufficient to urge it 

 over the obstructing bill, it recoiled back, like a refluent 

 billow from the roi:k, and then again rushed forward im- 

 pelled by fresh supplies, and scaling every obstacle, carry- 

 ing rocks and woods tosrether, in its course down tlie slopq 

 of the iiiouutain, until it precipitated itself down some vast 

 ravine, concealed from our sis^ht bv the intervening lidges 

 of Morne Ronde. Vast clobular bodies of fire were sceii 

 projected from ihe fiery furnace, and, bursting, fell back 

 info it, or over t, on the surror.nding bu-hes, nhich were 

 instantly set in flames. About four hours from the lava 

 boiling over the era'er, it reached the sea, as we could ob- 

 serve from the reflection of the fire and ihe electric flashes 

 attendmo; it About half-pa«t one, another stream of lava 

 was seen descendiuii; to the eastward towards Rabacca. The 

 thunclcrinc noise of the mountain, and the vibration of 

 sound that had been so formidable hitherto, now mingled 

 in the sullen monotonous roar of the rcjlling lava, became 

 so terrible, that dismay was almost turned into despair. 

 At this time the first eartlK|uake w.is feit: this was followed 

 by showers of cinders, that tell with the hissing noise of 



hail 



