BY THE REV, J. E. T EM SON- WOODS. 



129 



walk is bo narrow that a very light puff of wind might take one 

 over in either direction. Besides this, considerable masses of ash 

 were continually slipping away, either down the steep exterior 

 wall or into the crater. If an unfortunate pedestrian happened 

 to slip with these avalanches of cinders he would scarcely reach 

 the bottom without being suffocated. He might as well fall into 

 a bin full of tine flour. If, however, he did reach the bottom 

 alive, not "all the king's horses nor all the king's men " would 

 pull him up again. 



It does not appear that there is any great risk in ascending 

 Bromo, yet the scattered stones around attest that at intervals 

 the projectiles are flying up and down in a manner rather em- 

 barrassing to the peaceful sightseer. Once or twice we got just 

 a little whiff of the sulphurous fumes of insufferable odour which 

 on me at least produced the effect of violent coughing. They say 

 that some visitors have paid the forfeit of their lives by 

 approaching too near in times of unuBual activity, but I could 

 get no particulars. On the other hand, more than one Kuropean 

 resident has assured me that the mountaineers have been known 

 to descend to the bottom of the crater by means of rattan ropes. 

 I am very incredulous about this. In the first place, I don't see 

 how they could manage to make their way down the slope of fine 

 ash, which, as I have said, is like flour, and in which even small 

 stones were soon buried. In the next place, I don't see how any 

 human being would find breathing air at the bottom of such a pit. 



One can but speculate as to what makes the roaring noise at 

 the bottom of the chasm. It sounds like the bubbling of some 

 fierce incandescent mass. Yet I do not think that the molten 

 matter can be very near. No doubt this volcano is connected 

 with the great underground sea or lake of lava which has so many 

 boisterous outlets for its stream and tires throughout the island. 

 But the depth at which this liquid reservoir lies must be great, 

 probable much below the sea level. This would make it perhaps 

 two miles or more below the rise of the crater of Bromo. The 

 orifice is, therefore, a kind of steam-pipe for the escape of pent-up 



