464 
DR8. T. ANDERSON AND J. S. FLEET ON THE ERUPTIONS OF THE 
mouiitiug to the sky, showering down sand, with gritty calcined particles of earth and fa\411a mixed, on all 
Ijelow. This driven before the wind towards Wallibu and Home Ronde, darkened the air like a cataract 
of rain, and covered the ridges, woods, and cane pieces with light grey-coloured ashes, resembling snow 
when a little sublimed by dust. As the eruption increased this continual shower expanded, destroying 
every appearance of vegetation. At night a very considerable degree of ignition was oliserved on the lips 
of the crater, but it was not asserted that there was as yet any visible ascension of flame. The same awful 
scene presented itself on Tuesday, the fall of favilla and calcined pebbles still increasing, and the compact, 
2 )itchy column from the crater rising perpendicularly to an immense height, with a noise at intervals like 
the muttering of distant thunder. On Wednesday, the 29th, all these menacing symjjtoms of horror and 
comlmstion still gathered more thick and terrific for miles around the dismal and half obscured mountain. 
The ju’odigious column shot up with quicker motion, dilating as it rose, like a balloon. The sun appeared 
in total eclipse, and shed a meridian twilight over us that aggravated the wintry gloom of the scene, noAv 
completely jjowdered over with falling jiarticles. It was evident that the crisis was as yet to come; that 
the Inirning fluid was struggling for a vent, and labouring to throw off the su 2 )erineumbent strata and 
obstructions which .sujjpressed the ignivomous torrent. At night it was manifest that it had greatly 
disengaged itself from its burden by the ajq^carance of fire flashing now and then, flaking above the mouth 
of the crater. 
“ On Thursday, the memorable April 30th, the reflection of the rising sun on this majestic body of 
curling vajjour was sublime beyond imagination, and comparison of the glaciers of the Andes or Cordilleras 
with it can but feebly convey an idea of the fleecy whiteness and brillianc^iB of this awful column of 
intermingled and wreathed smoke and clouds. It afterwards assumed a more sulphureous cast, like 
what we call thunder-clouds, and in the course of the day a ferruginous and sanguine appearance, with 
much livelier action in the ascent, a more extensive dilation, as if almost freed from every obstruction. 
After noon the noise was incessant, and resembled the approach of thunder still nearer and nearer, 
with a vibration that affected the feelings and hearing; as yet there was no convulsive motion or 
sensible earthquake. Terror and consternation now seized all beholders; the Charraibs settled at Morne 
Ronde, at the foot of the Soufriere, abandoned their houses wdth their live stock and everything they 
possessed, and fled precipitately towards town; the negroes became confused, forsook their work, looked 
iqj to the mountain and, as it shook, trembled with the dread of what they could neither understand 
nor describe. The birds fell to the ground oveiqDowered with showers of favilla, unable to keep them¬ 
selves on the wing; the cattle were starving for want of food, as not a Idade of grass or a leaf was 
now to be found. The sea was much discoloured, but in nowise uncommonly agitated; it is remarkable 
that throughout the whole of this violent disturbance of the earth, it continued cpiite passive, and did 
not at any time syinijathise with the agitation of the land. About 4 o’clock the noise became 
more alarming, and just before sunset the clouds reflected a bright copper colour, suffused with fire. 
Scarcely had the day closed, when the flame burst at length jjyramidicallj’' from the crater through the 
mass of smoke ; the rolling of the thunder became more awful and deafening; electric flashes quickly 
succeeded, attended with loud claps, and now, indeed, the hurly-burly began. Those only who have 
witnessed such a sight can form any idea of the magnificence and variety of the lightning and electric 
flashes: some forked zig-zag, playing across the peiqjendicular column from the crater; others shooting 
iqjwards from the mouth, like rockets of the most dazzling lustre; others like shells, with their trailing 
tires Hying in different j)aral)olas, with the most ^'ivid scintillations from the dark, sanguine column, 
which now seemed inflexible and immovable by the wind. Shortly after 7 r.M. the mighty cauldron 
was seen to simmer, and the ebullition of lava to In’eak out on the north-west side. This, immediately 
after boiling over the orifice and flowing a short way, was ojqjosed by the activity of a higher jJoint 
of land, over which it was impelled by the immense tide of liquefied fire that drove it on, forming 
the figure of V in grand illumination. Sometimes when the ebullition slackened, or was insufficient 
to urge it over the obstructing hill, it recoiled back, like a refluent billow from the rock, and then 
again I'ushed forward, imi^elled by fresh supplies, and scaling every obstacle, carrying rocks and woods 
