384 
DRS. T. ANDERSON AND J. S. FLETT ON THE ERUPTIONS OF THE 
verandah of Richmond Yale House the upj^er jDart of the Soufriere vas clearly seen 
The notes taken by Mr. McDonald in his pocket-book have since been jDublished,* 
and form a most valuable contemporary record of the progress of events. 
“ No further observation was noted at Richmond Yale House till shortly after 6 a.m. 
on the 7th, when a discharge took place with the usual column of thick vapour, but 
l)eneath this was a much shorter column of almost dense black, and of a heavier 
nature, as it quickly sub.sided back into the crater. This was the fh’st appearance 
noted of what was prolmhly solid matter being erupted, the white vapour being no 
doubt vapour of water only. At about 7.4 a.m. an enormous high column of white 
vapour was ejected, and it may be here mentioned that these tall columns rose in a 
very short space of time—say about a minute—to heights of about 30,000 feet and 
over, by comparison seven or eight times the height of the mountain (nearly 4000 
teet). Outbursts took place now at shorter intervals, and at about 10.30 a.:m. the 
eruption became continuous, enormous volumes of vapour reaching to a very great 
height. 
“ 11.10 A.M, At this time there Avas thunder and lightning, showers of black and 
heavy material could now lie seen throAA’n outAA’ards and falling downwards from the 
column of AAdiitish vapour, associated with loud noises and more violent outbursts. 
From the commencement the Old Crater seemed to be the scene of activity, but at 
times it seemed as though some of the discharges proceeded from what is known as 
the NeAv Crater, a little north-eastwards from Chateaubelair. The area of the escape 
of vapour seemed now to be extending in a direction corresponding Avith Morne 
Ronde,” 
By means ot Mr. McDonald’s notes and of narratiAms AAdiich AA'ere giA’en us 
by Captain Calder, Dr. Branch, Dr. Hughes, and others AAdio AA^ere in Chateau¬ 
belair that forenoon, and l^y Mrs. Kelly, and Mr. Robertson (Acdio was in AYalhbu 
till 12.30 r.M.), it is easy to arriAm at a fairly complete idea of Avhat Avas going on. 
Tlie eruption AAms now assuming an acute phase, and the explosions followed one 
another AAu’th increasing rapidity and Auolence. At first, the steam clouds emitted 
from the crater folloAved one another at intervals of an hour or less, and between the 
outbursts the crater could 1.)e seen genth" steaming; but about 10.30 a.m. theA" had 
so increased in number that an enormous column of Ampour was rising from the throat 
of the A’olcano, and spreading out in a great mushroom-shaped cloud aboA*e the 
summit of the mountain. Lightnings played incessantly through the steam-cloud, 
accompanied by sharp peals of thunder. Several of the obserA^ers thought that they 
could distinguish between the thunder and the noises of the mountain, the latter 
being not so sharp, but loAver and more prolonged. The noises were not as yet A^ery 
A'iolent, neither were thev continuous. At the base of the cloud the red glare was 
often noticed, and some thought they suaa' flames. 
* ‘Century Magazine,’ vol. Ixiv., pp. 639-612, 1902. ‘The Sentry,’ NeAvspaper, IvingstOAvn, St, 
Vincent, May 16th, 1902. See Appendix II. 
