6o 



THE AMERICAX XA i rRALlS T. [ A . .i . X X W I 1 1 . 



shut off by a rock wall at the summit ot which ,i;u>1k's cut the 



water escapes, which falls into the ravine and torms the hr-.ok 

 mentioned. I'ntortunatelv it was not po^ihle to climb to the 

 ed-e ..f this hole and -et a -ood view ot its tlimensions. 

 The cliff which rises above it at the back is hollowed out m a 

 sort of cavern, and before it the crater f<.rm^ a r shapetl breach 

 whence comes the water of the cascade ; it is probable that the 

 arrangement of these places changes from time to time under 

 the different forces at work, tor Mr. Pevraud who had been here 

 in 1838, found the place unrecognizable in 185 i. Heskles the 

 crater of to-day which was quite new to him, there was lacking 

 a cold spring which our companion had promised us and which 

 for several hours we had counted on for quenching our thirst. 

 We found only sprmgs of hot water, the coolest of them at 37'. 



On the heights above the ravine, the Abb6 Lespinasse. during 

 the first da3 s of the erupti<jn, had planted a cross, m order to 

 reassure the frightened populace. ^This is the onl) barrier that 



more extensive study. On our right looking to the east, ab..ut 

 a meter and a half from the bottom of the ravine and three 

 meters from the rock wall which cuts it off. there is a hot spring 

 having a temperature of 70 ; its taste and its odor indicate the 

 presence ot sulphuretted hydrogen. The principal jet is about 

 an inch in diameter and all about it are tinv rills at the same 

 temperature: two meters abox e this first s'pring and a little 

 further akmg there is a second spring of the same c|ualitv with 

 a temperature of 46; which falls, bv several little cascad'es on 

 the rock, from which it rebounds be-low. The action of the air 



