Exploration of West Valley 



was impossible to count them, and now the cloud of dust 

 and steam appeared to settle down and form a canopy 

 which extended half-way down the cone. This seemed 

 to be due in part at least to a lull in the wind, and as 

 the cloud was spreading in our direction we were pre- 

 paring for a hasty retreat, when the breeze again sprang 

 up in nearly the same direction as before. The cloud 

 on the lower slopes of the cone now began to thin, and 

 through it we could see a red glow, although there was 

 still a fair amount of daylight. As darkness came on, 

 the glow increased proportionately, but it was as yet 

 impossible to ascertain its cause. Explosions still con- 

 tinued at intervals, but their violence was not now so 

 great. Something appeared to be in progress in the 

 cloud on the far side of the cone, as we could now and 

 then catch a glimpse of its dark outline against a faintly 

 luminous red background of vapour. 



While we were endeavouring to ascertain the cause 

 of this phenomenon, there took place an explosion deeper 

 and heavier in character than any we had yet heard. 

 What at first sight appeared to be a sheet of flame was 

 projected from the crater, broke into fiery spray, and fell 

 back in glowing drops into the abyss and on to the sides 

 of the cone. It was evident from this lava-fountain that 

 the molten material had risen high in the crater, and 

 that the red glow on the far side of the mountain prob- 

 ably emanated from a lava-stream. At the same instant 

 a fiery streak appeared on the side of the cone nearest 

 to us, which our glasses showed to be a great crack or 

 rent in the crater wall. From this rushed a fiery torrent 

 of dazzling brilliancy which soon began to spread out 

 laterally as the gentler slopes near the base of the cone 



229 



