SOUFFRIERE OF MONTSERRAT. 299 



becoming, as it were, extinct. On the margins of these 

 fissures, and indeed almost over the whole place, are to be 

 seen most beautiful crystallizations of sulphur, in many Sulphur beau- 

 spots quite as fine and perfect as those from Vesuvius, or |? " y crystal- 

 indeed as any other specimens I have ever met with. The 

 whole mass of decomposed rock in the vicinity is, in like 

 manner, quite penetrated by sulphur. The specimens 

 which I collected of the crystallized sulphur, as weli as of 

 the decomposed and undecomposed porphyry, were left in- 

 advertently on board the packet at Falmouth, which prevents 

 my having the pleasure of exhibiting them to the society. No trace of 

 I did not perceive at this place any trace of pyrites, or any 1>yn es ' 

 other metallic substance, except indeed two or three small 

 fragments of clay iron stone at a little distance, but did not 

 discover even 1 this substance any where in situ. It is very 

 probable that the bed of the glen or ravine might throw 

 some light on the internal structure of the place, but it was 

 too deep, and its banks infinitely too precipitous for me to 

 venture down to it. I understood there was a similar ex- Another Sul- 



halation and deposition of sulphur on the side of a mountain ^. 1ur a * 



. ' distant, 



not more than a mile distant in a straight line; and a sub- 

 terranean communication is supposed to exist between the 

 two places. 



Almost every island in the western Archipelago, particu- M os * islands 

 Jarly those ivhich have the highest land, has in like maimer its Archipelago 

 «• Sulphur" or, as the French better ex press it, its " Soujfriere." liave one or 

 This is particularly the case with Nevis, St. Kit's, Guada- ni ° re> 

 loupe, Dominica, Marti nico, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent's. 

 Some islands have several such places, analogous I presume to 

 this of Montseirat ; but in others, as Guadaloupe, St. Lucia, 

 and St. Vincent's, there are decided and well characterized vol- 

 canoes, which are occasionally active, and throw out ashes, 

 scoriae, and lava, with flame. The volcano of St. Vincent's and some hare 

 is represented by Dr. Anderson, and others who have visited Tolcan °f s - 

 it, as extremely large and magnificent, and would bear a 

 comparison with some of those of Europe. These circum- 

 stances appear to have been entirely overlooked by geologists 

 in their speculations concerningthe origin and formation of General re- 

 these islands. It has indeed occurred to most persous, on j^nd. " 



sun eying 



