SOUFRIERE, AND ON A VISIT TO MONTAGNE PELEE, IN 1902. 
531 
“ It might be interesting, however, for you to know in what state we found the former of these two 
cables—viz., the one between St. Lucia and Grenada. This cable passes off the island of St. Vincent, 
running in an almost north by east and south by west direction, and passing off the Soufriere at its 
nearest point to the centre of the crater at a distance of about 16 miles. The cable was hooked about 
21: miles in a direct line from the crater (towards St. Lucia), and a remnant picked up towards Grenada, 
after buoying St. Lucia side, about a mile in length. The first part of this came up in a good condition, 
but the balance came up in variable condition, in some places almost all the sheathing wires being cut 
through, as if by the sharp edge of a heavy rock coming down on it, and in lots of places twisted and 
knotted in a very similar manner to that shown in Fig. 8 of your paper on ‘ Suboceanic Changes.’ 
“ For a considerable distance from this break the cable seems to have been either buried or carried 
away out of position; at all events, we failed to hook it or feel any signs of it till we were down almost 
due west of Grand Bonhomme. In grappling, the grapnels were found to have been ploughing deep in 
soft grey mud, lots of which came up on the teeth, with occasional particles of a bright red coloiir.” 
We may reasonably expect that if there has been extensive and sudden displace¬ 
ment of the sediments on the sea floor, as is indicated apparently by the condition 
of the cables, they would have been attended by sea waves of greater or less 
importance. 
It is interesting in this connection to note that on the 5th May, when the crater 
/ 
lake of the Etang Sec burst, and a deluge of mud poured down the Riviere Blanche 
and buried the Usine Guerin, there was a distinct sea wave which did some damage 
at the mouth of the stream.* As no black cloud was emitted in this case, this wave 
cannot have been caused by its action, but, as stated by the French Commissioners, a 
line of fissures has formed almost exactly along this radius of the mountain, and 
submarine movement may have taken place and given rise to a sea wave. 
But these causes are not sufficient in themselves to account for all the phenomena, 
and in particular for the great disparity in magnitude between the waves observed 
in St. Pierre and Chateaubelair. Some additional and local factor must be in opera¬ 
tion, and this is, in all probability, the direct action of the great black cloud on the 
surface of the sea. The avalanches of dust and gases which are emitted by Pelee 
roll right down the slopes of the mountain upon the bay beneath, driving back its 
waters by their weight and momentum. So great a mass of matter sweeping 
downwards with so high a velocity must certainly have a considerable effect in 
disturbing the hydrostatic ec|uilibrium of the sea surface, and must start a local 
wave which travels outwards in all directions. | 
In St. Vincent the avalanche of dust is discharged over the southern lip of the 
crater, and rolls down into the broad valley between the Soufriere and Morne Garu. 
Its onward course is obstructed by the latter mountain, and its current is split into 
two parts, one taking the direction of the Rabaka Valley to windward, the other 
* Lacroix, Rollet de l’Isle, & Giraud, “ Sur I’Eruption de la Martinique,” ‘ Comptes Rendus,’ 
vol. cxxxv., p. 390. 
t We find that this suggestion has previously been made by Professor Israel C. Russell, ‘ Century 
Magazine,’ vol. Ixiv., p. 800, September, 1902. 
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