SECOND VOYAGE 183 



earth. The ground about these was exceedingly hot, and 

 parched or burnt, and they seemed to keep pace with the 

 volcano ; for, at every explosion of the latter, the quantity 

 of smoke or steam in these was greatly increased, and forced 

 out so as to rise in small columns, which they saw from the 

 ship, and had taken for common fires made by the natives. 

 At the foot of this hill are the hot springs before mentioned. 



Several other parts of the hill emitted smoke or steam all 

 the day, and the volcano was usually furious, insomuch that 

 the air was loaded with its ashes. The rain which fell at 

 this time was a compound of water, sand, and earth, so 

 that it properly might be called showers of mud. Which- 

 ever way the wind was, they were annoyed by the ashes, 

 unless it blew very strong indeed from the opposite direction. 



In the morning of the 14th, a party set out for the 

 country, to try if they could not get a nearer and better 

 view of the volcano. The place affected by the heat was 

 not above eight or ten yards square ; and near it were some 

 fig-trees, which spread their branches over a part of it, 

 and seemed to like their situation. It was thought that 

 this extraordinary heat was caused by the steam of boiling 

 water, strongly impregnated with sulphur. They pro- 

 ceeded up the hill through a country so covered with trees, 

 shrubs, and plants, that the bread-fruit and cocoa-nut 

 trees, which seemed to have been planted here by nature, 

 were in a manner choked up. Here and there they met 

 with a house, some few people, and plantations. These 

 latter they found in different states ; some of long stand- 

 ing ; others lately cleared ; and some only clearing. 

 Happening to turn out of the common path, they came 

 into a plantation where they found a man at work, who, 

 either out of good nature, or to get them the sooner out 

 of his territories, undertook to be their guide. They 

 followed him accordingly ; but had not gone far before 

 they came to the junction of two roads, in one of which 

 stood another man with a sling and a stone, which he 

 thought proper to lay down when a musket was pointed 

 at him. The attitude in which they found him, the ferocity 

 appearing in his looks, and his behaviour after, convinced 

 them that he meant to defend the path he stood in. He, 

 in some measure, gained his point ; for the guide took the 

 other road, and they followed, but not without suspecting 

 he was leading them out of the common way. The other 

 man went with them likewise, counting them several times 

 over, and hallooing, as they judged, for assistance ; for they 

 were presently joined by two or three more, among whom 

 was a young woman with a club in her hand. By these 

 people they were conducted to the brow of a hill, and shown 



