VOL. LXXV.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 637 



glossy appearance, which taste like vitriol, and also beautiful crystallizations of 

 sulphur. On all parts of the mountain are great quantities of sulphur in all states; 

 also alum, vitriol, and other minerals. From the external appearance of this 

 mountain, I imagine it has only begun to burn lately, as on several parts of it I 

 saw small shrubs and grass, which looked as if they had been lately scorched and 

 burnt. There are several holes on the south, from which issues smoke, seemingly 

 broken out lately, as the bushes around are but lately burnt. On two opposite 

 sides of the burning mountain, east and west, reaching from its base to that of 

 the side of the crater, are two lakes of water, about a stone's throw in breadth ; 

 they appear to be deep in the middle ; their bottom to be covered with a clay-like 

 substance. The water seems pleasant to the taste, and is of a chalybeate nature. 

 I suppose these lakes receive great increase, if they are not entirely supported, by 

 the rain that tumbles down the side of the crater. I observed on the north side 

 of the bottom traces of beds of rivers, that to appearance run great quantities of 

 water at times to both these lakes. By the stones at their edges, I could perceive 

 that either absorption or evaporation, or perhaps both, go on fast. The greater 

 part of the bottom of the crater, except the mountain and two lakes, is very 

 level. On the south part are several shrubs and small trees. There are many 

 stones in it that seem to be impregnated with minerals : I saw several pieces of 

 pumice-stone. I also found many stones about the size of a man's fist, rough, 

 on one side blue, which appearance, I imagine, they have got from heat, and 

 being in contact with some mineral. These stones are scattered over the whole 

 mountain. 



After I had got up from the bottom of the crater, I could not help viewing it 

 with admiration, from its wonderful structure and regularity. Here I found an 

 excavation cut through the mountain and rocks to an amazing depth, and with 

 as much regularity and proportion of its constituent parts, as if it had been 

 planned by the hand of the most skilful mathematician. I wished much to re- 

 main on the mountain all night, to examine its several ridges with more attention 

 next day ; but I could not prevail on my companion to stay, and therefore thought 

 it advisable to accompany him. I observed the motion of the clouds on this 

 mountain to be very singular. Though there are several parts on it higher than 

 the mouth of the crater, yet I saw" their attraction was always to it. After enter- 

 ing on its east or windward side, they sunk a considerable way into it ; then, 

 mounting the opposite side, and whirling round the north-west side, they ran 

 along a ridge, which tended nearly north-east, and afterwards sunk into a deep 

 ravin, which divided this ridge from another on the north-west corner of the 

 mountain, and the highest on it, lying in a direction nearly south and north. 

 They keep the course of this ridge to the south end, and then whirl off" west in 

 their natural course. 



