Mr. Anderson's Account of a Volcanic MouHiain^ 6cc, ty 



different ridges, feparated by very deep chafms, and its fum- 

 mit appeared quite deflitute of any vegetable produ£lion. On 

 examining leveral ravin s^ tliat run from the bottom a great way 

 up the mountain, I perceived they were quite deftitute of water, 

 and found pieces of pumice-ftone, charcoal, feverai earths and 

 minerals, that plainly indicated there mufl: be fome very fingu- 

 lar place or other on fome part of the mountain. I alfo recol- 

 leded a flory told by fome very old men in the ifland, that 

 they had heard the captain of a (hip fay, that between this 

 ifland and St. Lucia he faw, towards nieht, flames and fmoke 

 ifiliing from the top of this mountain, and next morning his 

 decks were covered with afl'ies and fmali ftones. This, you 

 may readily imagine^ was excitement enough to examine it, if 1 

 pofiibly could ; but I was much difcouraged upon being told, 

 it was impoflible to gain the fummit of it; nor could I get 

 cither white men, Carribbee, or Negro, that would undertake 

 to conduct me up for any reward I could offer ; nor could I get 

 any information relative to it. But as difficulty to attain in- 

 hances the value of the obje-fl, fo the more I was told of the 

 impoflibility of going up, the more was I determined to 

 attempt it. 



After I had examined the bafis of it, as far as I could for the 

 fea and other mountains, to find the moft probable place to 

 commence my journey, I obferved an opening of feverai large 

 and dry ravins, that leemingiy ran a great way up ; but I was 

 not fure if they were not interfered by fome rocks or preci- 

 pices I could not get over. I came to Mr. Maloune's, about 

 a milediftant from the mountain, but the nigheft houfe to it 

 I could flay at all night. Here I met with a friendly recep- 

 tion and great hofpitality. After communicating my inten- 

 tions to him, he told me, he would give me every afliftance 

 Vol. LXXV. D he 



