350 E. O. Hovey — Eruptions of La Soufriere^ etc. 



The terai " stellar lightning " has been proposed by George 

 Kennan for the particular form of electrical discharge charac- 

 terizing the eruptions of Mt. Pelee. This expression, how- 

 ever, implies that the bolts shot out radially from a center in 

 all directions at the same instant, whereas the shafts flew out 

 successively in the different directions. Often they seemed to 

 come from centers, but this appearance probably was due to 

 the foreshortening of the line along which the successive 

 flashes originated. The amount of electricity generated by the 

 friction of the ascending column and the moving clouds of 

 dust-laden steam against the surrounding atmosphere was very 

 great, but much of the discharge seemed to be comparatively 

 noiseless. At midnight of June 26 an eruption occurred which 

 sent up a steam column to a height estimated at 12,000 feet 

 above the top of the mountain. Much of this scintillating* 

 lightning played about the column and the " mushroom " 

 cloud above, but no sound of thunder could be heard from our 

 sloop, which was at anchor ofl Carbet, seven miles distant. 

 The same form of electrical discharge was observed in connec- 

 tion with the great outbursts of La Soufriere on St. Yincent. 

 The electrical phenomena attending the September eruptions of 

 Mt. Pelee are described as having been even more magnificent 

 and terrifying than those observed in connection with the 

 earlier explosions. 



American Musetiui of Natural History. 

 October 11, 1902. 



* ''Cornscating" is the excellent descriptive term applied by Dr. Jaggar 

 to these discharges. 



