SOUFRIERE, AND ON A VISIT TO MONTAONE PELEE, IN 1902. 4G1 
the eruptions of the Soufriere since the colonisation of the West Indies. We should 
hesitate, however, to place much reliance on them. 
J'lte^Gonditimb of the Crater in 1784. 
In the ‘ Philosophical Transactions of tlie Royal Society ’ for the year 1785 there is 
an account of what was apparently the first visit made by any white man to the 
crater of the Soufriere. At that time the name “ Morne Garu ” was applied also to 
this mountain; only after it was known that at the summit there was a cone 
emitting sulphurous vapours was it replaced by its present name “La Soufriere.” 
In the early part of the 19th century the volcano was often referred to under Ijoth 
names, or under either. At present it seems that onl)^ the term Soufriere is used. 
Morne Garu is now the name of the mountain mass which lies immediately to tlie 
south. Mr. Anderson"^ in his ascent met with enormous difficulties, and had to hew 
a path through the forest for most of the way. For three days he was baffled, hut on 
the fourth, with Mr. Fraser and some negro slaves, he reached the crater’s rim, and, 
descending into the interior, explored it thoroughly. Probably, had he had Carib 
o-uides, he would have been shown a much easier wav. 
“ March 4 being the day I had fixed to finish my excursion, about 4 in the morning I left the house 
of Mr. Fraser, who, out of curiosity, agreed to accompany me, of which I was very glad, as he was 
a sensible young man, and with the assistance of two negroes we pursued our journey. AVe found very 
little obstruction in our way up until we got to the jDlace where I returned, and there, for about a 
cpiarter of a mile, we had considerable difficulty to clear our way through grass and ferns. After 
we came within a quarter of a mile from the top, we found ourselves in another climate all at once, 
the air very cold, and the vegetable productions changed; here was nothing but barrenness over the 
whole summit of the mountain. On the confines of the grassy region and the barren I found some 
lieautiful plants. Moss grows here in such plenty that I frequently sunk up to my knees in it. This 
is the only place in the West Indies that produced any moss that I have seen. About noon we 
gained the top of the peak I had directed my course to before, Avhen, in an instant, we were surprised 
with one of the grandest and most awful scenes I had ever beheld. I was struck with it amazingly, as I 
could not have conceived such a very large and so singularly-formed an excavation. It is situated on the 
centre of the mountain, and where the various ridges unite. Its diameter is something more than a mile, 
and its circumference to appearance a perfect circle. Its depth from the surrounding margin is above a 
quarter of a mile, and it narrows a little, but very regularly, to the bottom. Its sides are very smooth, 
and for the most part covered with short moss, except towards the mouth, where there are a number of 
small holes and rents. This is the only place where it is possible to go down to the bottom; it is exceed¬ 
ingly dangerous, owing to the numl)erless small chasms. On the west side is a section of red rock like 
granite, cut very smooth, and of the same declivity with the other parts. All the rest of the surroundino’ 
sides seems to be composed of sand, that looks to have undergone the action of iTitense fire. It has a 
crust, quite smooth, of about an inch thick, and hard almost as rock, after Itreaking through which, you 
find nothing but loose sand. In the centre of the Ijottom is a liurning mountain, of about a mile in 
* “ An Account of Morne Garou, a Mountain in the Island of 8t. Vincent, with a Description of the 
Volcanq on its Summit,” By Mr. .James Anderson (‘ Phil. Trans.,’ vol. 75, p. 16, 1785). 
