SOUFEIERE, AND ON A VISIT TO IMONTAGNE PELEE, IN 1902. 
533 
On July 9th, at 8.20 r.M., Montague Pelee broke again into activity. That 
afternoon there were several earthquakes in St. Vincent, so severe as to cause great 
apprehension. 
In the end of August there was renewed activity at Pelee, and on the i5th, 28th, 
and 30th of that month and September 3rd there were eruptions. On September 1st 
and September 3rd the SoufriO’e w^as active, the latter especially being one of the 
greater eruptions of this year. 
These facts are sufficient to show that a distinct connection exists between the 
outbursts of these two mountains during the present year. The eruptions of the 
Soufriere have sometimes followed, sometimes preceded, those in Martinique, but, as 
a rule, the greater eruptions of the one volcano have been accompanied by eruptions 
at the other within a jDeriod of one or two days. The outbursts of Pelee have been 
more numerous than those of the Soufriere. In particular, those of the end of 
May, of June, and of July had no corresponding eruptions in the sister island, 
l)ut though more frequent they have been of less magnitude, and have produced 
less wddespread effects. Pelee has also been more constantly in action of a 
subordinate kind during the intervals between the major eruptions. 
Some general cause underlying the volcanic activity is required to explain the 
synchronism in the superficial phenomena. It is to be found in the existence (fi* 
internal pressures and stresses in that part of the earth’s crust, of which the Carihl)ean 
fold is one of the dominant ridges. The volcanic chain of the Windward Islands 
occupies the summit of one of the great earth folds of this region. 
Great earth movements have taken place around the Caribbean Sea in Tertiary 
times, and are still in progress. It is in consequence one of the great earthquake 
centres of the globe,^ and the connection wdiich subsists between volcanic activity in 
the volcanoes of the Lesser Antilles and earthquakes in the siuTounding region has 
been emphasised by Humboldt and by many subsequent writers. 
Although there is apparently no record of great eaiTliquakes having attended the 
eruption of the Soufriere in 1718, that of April 24th, 1812, was preceded by a most 
violent earthquake in Venezuela on March 26th of that year. The city of Caracas 
was levelled with the ground, and it is estimated that 10,000 of its inhabitants 
perished.t The disturbances had begun about tliree months previously (in 
December, 1811), and were not confined to Venezuela, but affected also a wide 
area of Central and North America. In tlie valleys of the Mississippi and the 
Ohio there were numerous earthquakes from December 16th, 1811, onwards, In 
St. Vincent over 200 shocks were counted during the twelve months liefore 
the eruption.']; 
* See Professor J. Milne’s Seismic Map of the Globe, ‘Geographical Journal,’ January, 1903. 
t Humboldt, ‘Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of the New Continent,’ 
English translation by Mrs. Williams, vol. iv., chap. 1. 
\ Humboldt, o/i. cit., vol. ii., p. 231. 
