252 R. T. HILL — PELE AND THE WINDWARD ARCHIPELAGO 



their gases. Hovey and others recognized S0 2 and H 2 S in steam of erup- 

 tions from Pele\* 



No direct proof of the existence of free hydrogen and oxygen from the 

 craters has been produced nor have spectroscopic studies been made for 

 this purpose. On the other hand, there is every evidence that these 

 materials did emanate from the crater, in combination with each other 

 as water, in tremendous quantities, as elsewhere discussed. 



The rumors of carbon gases, which have been frequently found else- 

 where in expiring volcanic emanations, have been many. The writer 

 presents the singular story that Professor Landes, the French savant, 

 who lost his life in the eruption, was said to have reported after the de- 

 struction of Usine Guerin, on May 5. As related to me by Vice-Mayor 

 Labat, whom I met in Saint Lucia on May 23 and who returned to Fort 

 de France with me on the Potomac May 24, it is as follows: After the 

 explosion of May 3, when the mud first ran down the Riviere Blanche, 

 analyses were made by Professor Landes, of the Lycee of Saint Pierre, 

 from day to day. On May 7 Professor Landes sent the following tele- 

 gram to the governor at Fort de France : " Carburetted hydrogen gas in 

 ashes; dangerous; explain tomorrow." On the morrow he was dead. 



Professor Heilprin, in McClure's Magazine for August,f 1902, advanced 

 the hypothesis that there were carbon dioxide gases, derived by ascent 

 of the magma through asphaltic and calcareous strata, constituting the 

 substructure of the island. Later, however, in his book, he withdrew 

 this opinion and attributed the deaths to steam and hot lapilli. While 

 carbon gas was most probably emitted, as later shown by Professor Mois- 

 san, the above explanation of its origin is erroneous, for no known cal- 

 careous and asphaltic rocks exist in the foundation of Pele, and there - 

 is every geological reason for believing that such rocks do not exist, as 

 set forth herein later. 



The undoubted presence of carbon gases, however, has been accurately 

 and scientifically determined and recorded by M. Henri Moissan in a 

 paper before the Academy of Sciences, Paris, December 15 entitled, " On 

 the presence of argon, oxide of carbon, and hydrocarbon in the gas from 

 the fumaroles of mont Pele, at Martinique." The gas, which was col- 

 lected by M. Lacroix, emerged at a temperature of about 400 degrees C.J 



" Besides those gases which have been already mentioned as present in other 

 volcanic eruptions, a considerable quantity of combustible gas was found, together 

 with about 0.7 per cent of argon. The percentage of carbon monoxide (1.6 per 

 cent) would render the gas very toxic, and it is possible that many of the deaths 

 during the eruption may have been due to this cause." 



*,American Journal of Science, November, 1902, p. 340. 

 t Mont Pele and the tragedy of Martinique. 

 X Nature, London, December 25, 1902, p. 192. 



