SOlTFJEPtE, AND ON A VISIT TO MONTAGNE PELEE, IN 1902. 
383 
descending on the leeward side and was near the “ half-way tree,” a well-known 
landmark, she heard a loud report, and saw a rush of steam, whereupon she dropped 
her basket and ran. This must have been the explosion which took place about 
12.30, She saw no stones on the path either when ascending or descending. 
By Tuesday evening everyone in Chateaubelair and on the leeward side of the 
mountain was well aware that the Soufriere was in eruption. Boats had left Wallibu 
in the afternoon and gone up aJong the coast as far as De Volet’s and Campobello, 
carrvino- the news. AVindsor Forest Estate was vacated on Tuesdav nio-lit, and it 
was only the scarcity of l)oats which prevented all the inhabitants north of Chateau¬ 
belair from at once taking refuge in the villages to the south. 
But at Fancy and Owia, no trustworthy intimation of impending danger had yet 
been obtained. The crater cannot be seen from this side, and the mountain was 
capped with cloud. People were somewhat anxious on account of the frequency of 
earthquakes during the previous weeks, and also because word had reached 
St. Vincent that Montague Pelee, in Martinique, was in a state of activity. But so 
far nothing had been seen or heard which indicated that an eruption of the Soufriere 
was actually in progress. 
On the windward side, in Georgetown and the estates on the C’arib Country, there 
was almost as little apprehension. Telephonic messages had been sent from Kings¬ 
town to police lieadquarters at Georgetown that the people at Chateaubelair had seen 
steam arisinij- from the crater. But a dense trade-wind cloud covered the mountain, 
the rumbling sounds were mistaken for thunder, and in the West Indies there is 
always so much untrustworthy news in circulation that it is not difficult to under¬ 
stand that this unexpected information was received witli scepticism. It was believed 
to be a scare due to the news from Martinique. 
The Forenoon of Wednesday, May 7ih. 
Chateaubelair .—On Wednesday morniiig day dawned on a scene of great excite¬ 
ment in. Chateaubelair. “ The usually quiet village resembled a hive of angry bees.”* 
Just about G A.M. (at sunrise) there was a large outburst of steam, and as the forenoon 
wore on, the violence of the activity increased. Work was at a standstill; the 
magnificence of the eruption absorbed all attention. The last stragglers were coming 
in from the estates ajid villages on the leeward side, where few had been brave enough 
to remain overnight, and most of these, before midday, were convinced that it was 
advisable to take to flight. 
o 
During this time, Mr. T. M. McDonald, of Ptichmond Vale, and Mr. Mathes, who 
was his guest, were making constant observations of the eruption. From the 
* Captain Calder, ‘Century Magazine,’ vol. Ixiv., p. 634, August, 1902. 
