206 GEORGE CARROLL CURTLS 



times its base in width. Now and then black finger-like masses 

 shot up into the curling vapor, were sustained for a minute or 

 more, and then sank back out of view. At other times the jet 

 appeared a solid column of black, during which the steam 

 cloud would change from white to golden tints, and, as the vio- 

 lence increased, to grays. The black jets were composed 



■X 



Fig. 4. — Delta at Basse Point. Showing encroachment of mud flows 



of erupted sand and rock fragments from the stream bed, and 

 the changing color of the steam cloud indicated that some of 

 the finer particles were carried even to its balloon-shaped top. 

 Indeed, this erupted ash soon began to fall upon us until boat 

 and crew alike were completely covered with a snow-like fall of 

 gritty, gray dust. The eruption cloud itself quite simulated 

 those from the crater of Pelee ; the straight, black, rigid column 

 at the base, the writhing, twisting puffs of brain-like formed 

 globules with brownish hue above, and the lighter-colored, 

 spreading pine-tree cloud on top which floated off with the trade 

 wind in distinct globes, each indicating a different time of 

 outburst. 



