HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
are acquainted with the way by which its summit is to be attained. Seven days are 
requisite to perform that journey. Heaps of cinders, lava, and vitrified earth, with 
rifts and precipices, render all access not only laborious but dangerous. The time 
must be very favourable, and without the appearance of a cloud, to allow of a visit 
to the crater; as a few drops of rain would be sufficient to provoke an eruption; 
when the imprudence of approaching it would cost the rash adventurer his life. 
" The volcanic productions are very various; and sometimes there are found, at 
a great distance from the mountain, certain glassy filaments, of an exceeding fineness 
resembling hair. This kind of lava is not very common.” 
The following Description of this Volcano is by M. Brunei. 
“ It is situated almost at the summit of an hollow and detruncated mountain, 
whose base, falling down with a gentle inclination, rests upon a bed of calcined earth, 
at the distance of a league from the sea. Though the matter it contains is conti¬ 
nually boiling, it never rises so high as to proceed from the crater. In the moment 
of an eruption, the lava is seen taking its course down the side of the mountain, in 
such a manner as to offer the appearance of a fiery cascade. The light, which is 
diffused to a great distance, as well on sea as land, is equal to that of the moon in 
its full splendour. According to the tradition of the country, it was this natural 
Pharos, that attracted the curiosity of the first Europeans who visited these coasts. 
“ The environs of the volcano are covered with sal ammoniac, sulphur, alum, 
and pumice stone. It is a remarkable circumstance, and very different from other 
volcanoes, that though its eruptions are frequent, they are never accompanied with 
earthquakes. The security of the inhabitants, therefore, is not endangered by the 
vicinity of such a phaenomenon, as is known to be the case in every country afflicted 
by them: nor has it been observed that water is at any time thrown forth from this 
volcano; or has any warm mineral spring been discovered in this island. 
“ In the month of June, 1787, this volcano was in a very remarkable state of 
eruption. The summit of the mountain was covered with thick vapours, of a black 
colour, which issued in clouds of a spiral form from the mouth of the ancient crater. 
On the 24th the lava ran down as far as the sea; nine days after it had begun to 
flow, it extended in certain places to eighty fathom in breadth, and in others to 
forty. The liquid matter continued to run during a month, in great abundance, 
and formed a fiery current to the very sea, of about sixty fathom in breadth, and 
