SOUFEIERE, AND ON A VISIT TO MONTAGNE PELEE, IN 1902. 
409 
“Leaving for the while minor units, such as acres, we find that 10,240 tons of volcanic ‘ash’ were 
rained on to every square mile of this Island during the jjast 12 hours of darkness. Supposing the 
fall to have been approximately equal in depth over the whole Island, the almost incredible amount of 
1,699,840 tons of solid matter was added to Barbados last night.” 
He gives the thickness of the deposit as about dth of an inch, and states that while 
it was falling there was a slight sulphurous odour, not so strong as to be dis- 
ao'reeable. 
o 
In the Barbados ‘ Agricultural Beporter,’ of Friday, May 9, there appears an 
interesting account of the rain of dust in the city of Bridgetown, and its efiects on 
the population : — 
“ The volcanic dust which began to fall here on Wednesday afternoon continued throughout the 
night and up to early yesterday morning. Borne from St. Vincent in the upper strata of the air, and 
there suspended, this stuff obscured the sunlight and produced the phenomenal darkness mentioned 
in our yesterday’s issue. In colour and consistency it resembles Portland cement. At first the fall 
was slight and the substance was gritty and coarser than that which fell afterwards. By 7 o’clock, 
however, a powdery dust was falling thick and fast. Those -whose business called them out at this hour 
and later—those who had no special calling out had sought their places of abode at an early hour—got 
their' faces and hands and all their clothing covered with the stuff, and presented a grimy appearance. 
Care had to be exercised, too, even by those carrying umbrellas, and travelling on the tram-cars, to avoid 
receiving injiuy to their eyes and throats. The dust was everywhere, and upon everything. Passing 
freely through jalousies and other available openings, it rested on all furnitime and other appointments in 
houses and offices. So early as 8 o’clock the city was deserted, and there prevailed a quietude which 
contrasted strongly with the activity that ordinarily prevails. Terrific peals of thiuider, preceded by 
vivid flashes of weird lightning, helped to increase the depression of spirits caused by the gloom, and 
gave rise to a feeling that the worst had not yet been experienced. Jtrdging from appearances at this 
time, one would have concluded that there was going to take place a heavy downpour of.rain. As a 
matter of fact, however, none fell. The grooves of the tramway rails filled rapidly -wdth the dusty preci¬ 
pitation, and it was simjtly impossible to keep them clear. As a consequence, the cars ran ott' repeatedly, 
and ultimately the service had to be stopped sometime before the usual hour. It should be mentioned as 
a noteworthy fact in connection with the phenomenon of Wednesday evening, as experieiiced in Bridge¬ 
town, that, while a heavy cloud overshadowed the city and the whole western sky, there was a luminous 
spot on the southern horizon, just at the extremity of the nebulous area, that offered a striking contrast 
to the prevailing gloom. There the day-god seems to have entrenched himself, and bidden defiance to 
the powers of darkness. The light was not bright and cheery, but rather suggestive of an angry mood. 
Somewhere in the \4cinity of 6 o’clock p.m. of the same evening a party of Salvation Army preachers 
attempted to hold a service in the Upper Green, near the Nelson Statue. The usual singing and exhor¬ 
tation was begun by the detachment, Imt the falling dust was too much for mortal throat and lungs to 
endure in the open air, even though engaged in religious work. Besides this there were foimd few so 
foolhardy as to accept the iin-itation to combat the forces of nature. So the party had to desist and retire 
to cover like the common non-combatants. Full details of the occurrence did not come to hand fi'om 
St. Vincent on Wednesday evening, and people here retired to bed feeling that the next day would bring 
news of some awful catastrophe. Loud booming sounds had been heard throughout Barbados during 
Wednesday, and the natural conclusion was that the experiences in the sister colony must have been 
awesome. From what was told us in a telegram received aliout 8 o’clock a.m., these calculations were 
correct, for the condition of affairs is said to have IjalHed description. 
“ Yesterday the atmosphere continued murky, and the city presented the appearance of being enveloped 
VOL. CC.-A. 3 G 
