Further Exploration of Centre Valley 



on climbing to the summit we saw that a small cone 

 inside the main crater was still feebly active, emitting 

 from time to time puffs of steam, with a few small 

 stones and a little dust, these having built up a cone 

 of considerable dimensions. We were able on this 

 occasion to climb down the interior of the large crater 

 and to explore its floor. When viewed at close quarters 

 the small central cone was seen to consist of two cones, 

 the one within the other, and all composed of "ash." 



It was evident that at the height of the eruption the 

 whole of the large crater had been active, but at a later 

 stage the explo- 

 sions were not 

 s uf f iciently 

 strong to propel 

 the loose ma- 

 terials beyond 



11 . i FIG. 31. Successive stages in the development of a 



Its walls, Wltn volcanic cone. 



the result that 



a small cone was built up within the large one, and, 

 with a still further diminution of activity, a third and still 

 smaller one within the second. 



Should the activity continue in its present mild form 

 the innermost cone would soon overtop and obliterate 

 the second, and eventually the whole of the large crater 

 would become filled up and the volcano once more 

 consist of a single cone (Fig. 31). 



Having returned to the surface of the lava-stream, 

 we found numerous small cones scattered over it. 

 These did not appear to be connected in any way with 

 the main volcanic focus, but to have been caused by the 

 escape of steam from the lava. 



255 



