EHRENBERG ON METEORIC ASHES IN BARBADOES. 21 
threw the whole neighbourhood into consternation. An immense 
pillar of thick, black, clammy-like smoke was seen rising up into the 
sky, and throwing down small fragments of burnt earth and ashes 
mixed with sand on the country around. This shower of sand and 
ashes, driven by the wind towards Wallibon and Morne Ronde, dark- 
ened the heavens like a thunder-cloud, and covered everything with 
pale grey ashes like dirty snow. This shower of ashes quickly de- 
stroyed every trace of vegetation. On the 28th the fall of ashes in- 
creased ; the pitch-black pillar rose perpendicularly from the crater, 
with a continuous noise as of violent thunder. On the 29th the sun 
was darkened so that at midday it seemed only twilight. On the 
30th of April these phenomena were still more increased ; birds and 
cattle were killed by the ashes and the want of food. Soon after 
seven in the evening, electric flames and lightning were seen quiver- 
ing through the dark cloud above the crater in an indescribable man- 
ner, and the glowing lava overflowed. In about four hours it had 
reached the sea. About half-past one a huge lava-stream burst out 
on the east towards Rabocca. About two o’clock a shower of small 
cinders fell, and about three o’clock larger stones mixed with fire. 
Some of the stones were as large as a man’s head, but were not heavy. 
This continued about an hour, when the cinders again began to fall. 
The oscillation of the ground was incessant. 
On the Ist of May the darkness continued to eight o’clock. An 
impenetrable, dark, black cloud enveloped the mountain and hung 
over the sea. ‘The thundering of the mountain first ceased after 
midday. 
Of the so-called May-dust or ashes which was deposited on Bar- 
badoes in these circumstances, Sir Robert Schomburgk has sent me 
several packets, at the same time expressing a wish that I would sub- 
mit them to microscopic investigation. 
I have received four separate packets of this dust, but with no 
further account of its origin than that it was collected in Barbadoes 
on the Ist of May 1812. On an accompanying memorandum it is 
said: ‘“‘May Dust. Different kids of ashes which fell in Barbadoes 
on the Ist of May 1812, after the eruption of the Souffrier in the 
island of St. Vincent.” 
All the varieties of dust are mealy, but of high specific gravity. 
Nos. 1, 2, 3, greyish-brown, No. 3 bemg somewhat darker and with 
an olive-green play of colour. No. 4 is paler than the others, ap- 
proaching to yellow, and sensibly coarser in the grain. All the four 
varieties are, however, homogeneous and fine, but not so fine as the 
yellow Atlantic dust of the Cape Verd islands. They grate between 
the teeth, but without beimg hard, as if a slight pressure sufficed to 
crush still more the fine particles. According to outward appearance, 
these specimens of ashes have been preserved from intermixture with 
foreign matter since 1812, and are still in their original purity, on 
which point perhaps Sir Robert Schomburgk can give some special 
information. 
Microscopic analysis showed that the dust consisted chiefly of 
glassy, translucent, but often rounded (fused) particles, which by 
