SOUFRIERE, AND ON A VISIT TO MONTAGNE PELEE, IN 1902. 
473 
there was great excitement, as ship alter ship came in reiJorting tliat they had had 
the same experience, only varying in degree, and no explanation was obtained till 
word came from St. Vincent that the Soufriere had erupted. 
Sir Robert Sghomburgk, in his history of Barbados, gives the diary of a gentleman 
residing in St. Peter’s parish in the island, containing his observations on the unusual 
occurrence :— 
“At hcalf-past 12 A.M. on May 1st, 1812, a heavy, dark cloud obscured the heavens completely, hanging 
so low as apparently to touch the ground, except in the south and north-east, where there was a fine, light 
blue tint, which closed in at half-past 1 A.M., when darkness visibly overspread this part of the island. At 
this period a sandy grit began to fall in small cpiantities. At 2 A.M. explosions heard to the southward 
and westward, resembling two frigates exchanging broadsides, to the amount of 18 or 20; went to the 
tojJ of the house, but could perceive no flashes, though the sound seemed sufficiently near, light being 
perceptible at a much greater distance than sound can be heard, the sandy grit, converted into ashes, 
silently falling. From 2 to 6 A.M. low, murmuring, hollow distant thunder, but no lightning seen, except 
the vivid flashes which preceded two’nearer peals. Between these periods smart squalls with rain and ashes 
mixed from the eastward, which seldom lasted above 40 seconds, the ashes bearing a greater proportion 
than the rain in this composition. At half-pa.st 5 A.M. a small glimmering in the south and south-east 
resembling the appearance of daylight, but did not last 10 minutes before the atmosphere was completely 
obscured again, and the darkness more intense, if that was possible. At half-past 6 A.M. heavy fall of 
ashes, with light breezes and a hollow, low, undulating noise to the northward; expecting an earthcpake, 
quitted the house and retired to a wattled negro hut. From 6 to 8 A.iM. light breezes, with squalls of 
ashes and rain of the same description and duration as mentioned before. During these last two hours 
meteors resembling globes of fire, about the size of a 13-inch shell, appeared in the north-east and north- 
north-east, to the amount of 10 or 12, crossing each other in every direction, occasionally appearing and 
disappearing for the space of an hour and a half so incessant a falling of ashes as to render it impossible 
to face the eastward. At 9 A.Bi. the sky to the northward assumed a purple torrid aj^pearance, greatly 
resembling a vast town at a distance on fire, accompanied by a tremulous motion resembling the Aurora 
Borealis. The horrid glare of this sky made the surrounding darkness more awfully dreadful; the sky to 
the southward, in the direction towards Bridgetown, had occasionally the same colour, only the tinge much 
fainter, attended with no motion. The sky never approached in any direction by my calculation nearer 
than 7 miles; as I have no data to go on this is a mere matter of conjecture. From 9 a.m. to 12 at noon 
light breezes and constant and heavy fall of ashes. At 10 A.M. a large flight of birds passed over the 
hut, flying so very low that the fluttering of their wings was distinctly heard; the notes of these birds 
resemlfled the yelping of puiqfies. When daylight took place they proved to be marine birds, called men- 
of-war and cobblers, so loaded with ashes they could scarcely raise themselves from the ground. At a 
quarter past 12 daylight appeared immediately over our heads ; half-past 12 the form of the sun, obscured 
in clouds in the same place. At 1 p.m. daylight; returned to my own house. From 1 a.m. to half-past 
12 P.M. the wind east to east-north-east; 1a.m. light gentle breezes never vaiying above two point,s, but 
fluctuating between both, the wind dying away nearly to calm, but never perfectly a calm. This may be 
.said to be the state of the weather during the whole 12 hours of total darkness, except when interrupted 
l)y the momentary squall of sand and ashes. The darkness was so impenetrable that, with the exception 
of the light that was visible in the south and south-east at 5 A.M., at no period could anything be discerned 
even within reach. From three admeasurements taken in the lowest places the fall of ashes was an inch 
and a half. AVhen I left the house the thermometer was 70’, when I returned at 70'’; as I left the 
instrument behind I know not what variation might have taken place in my absence. The other 
* ‘ The History of Barbados,’ by Sir Robert H. Schomburgk, 1848, p. 72. 
—A. 3 P 
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