Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-05-05
The Boiling Lake in the Island of
Dominica,

Dominica.
The "Black Country" of Wolver-
hampton notoriety is a weird place, and
suggests weird ideas enough, whether
traversed by night or by day; but it is
"mild domestic" compared to natures
own "White Country" the sulphur re-
gion of Dominica. A world like this
abandoned to volcanic agencies, as the
moon is supposed to have been at some
unlucky epoch of her existence, would be
more fitting abode than even the Bib.
lical Babylon for the satyrs dragons and
other dOleful creatures of the prophet,
a throne for Arimcnes himself.
We clambered for an hour Or so, first
across kniie.like dividing ridge, and
then among the broken hOllows of a sec
ond crater or a0UtriCrc, considerably
larger in dimensions than the first but
comparatively quiescont; silent, burnt
out region of ash and sulphur, sur
rounded by nigh bare walls of pumce
and volcanic crag Little streams was
here visible, nor were any explosions to
be heard from underneath; but the
many streams of white, yellow, red or
black water that pierced and furrowed
the spongy crust in every direction were
all hot, and told Of fires yet smouIdering
at no great distance below. In front OF
us rose a bare ridge of heaped-uP pumice
and ash, shutting off the southerly reg
ment OF the great crater as though with
partition wall and from behind its
range, vast columns of steam whltcned
against the dazzling blue of the cloud
less sky We took the intervening bar
rier at run, and checked ourselves short
at the top; a few steps more would have
sent us head foremost into the boiling
lake.
A strange sight to see, and not less aw.
full than strange, Fenced in by steep,
mostly indeed perpendicular banks,
varying from sixty to a hundred feet
high, cut out in ash and pumice, the
lake RACES and roars like wild beast in
its cage the surface to which such
measurements as we could make assigned
about two hundred yards in length by
more than half the same amount in
breadth, Is that of giant seething caul-
dron. covered with rapid steam, through
which, when the veil is FOR moment
blown apart by the mountain breeze, ap-
pears a confused mass Of tossing waves,
crossing and clashing in every direction
IA chaos of boiling waters. Towards
the centre, where the ebullition is at It's
fercest, geyser-like masses are being con-
stantly thrown up to the heighth OF sew
eral feet, not On one exact spot, but
shifting from side to side, each fresh
burst being preceded by noise like that
of canon fired off at some great depth
below, while lesser Jets often make their
appearance nearer the sides of the lake
What the general depth Of water may be
would be difficult to ascertain; but a
line stretched out from the end of a pole
indicates sheer descent of fifty or sixty
feet within a couple of yards distance
from the shore. The heat of the water,
where it beats in seething restlessness on
the cliff, is one hundred and eighty de-
grees Fahrenheit; we tied a thermom-
eter to a stick and found the surface
temperature at the distance of few feet
further on to be almost two hundred de-
grees Fahrenheit. The height Of the
lake is a little over 2,400 feet, an eleya-
tion which at an average atmosphere
temperature of sixty-iour degrees gives
the boiling point for water at two hun
dred degrees Fahrenheit, or near 1t,
The lake is evidently supplied for the
most part from springs within its own
circuit; but little stream, formed by
the union of two small mountain rivu'
lets, runs down from the heights to the
north; the water of the brook is cold,
and may contribute somewhat, especially
, in the rainy season, to the volume OF the
} lake. The addition may, however be
slight; for the highest water liue along
the cliffs, marked partly by erosion
partly by bright yellow band OF sui
phur deposit, was at the epoch OF oul
| visit, that is, as the conclusion OF the
, dry season in Dominica, only a few
, inches above the actual water level, al
additional proof that the lake is almos
, wholly supplied from below. In iact
/, the principal effect of heavy rail-
, shower or an Augmented inflow is sait
, to be a sudden increase in the violence o
the surface action, the result doubles
|, of the shock produced by the meeting o
such very opposite temperatures
s This torrent, by the stones and cartl
t brought down with it in its descent, ha
/ formed a slope which, though steep per
{ mits of cautious approach to tn,
| waters edge everywhere else the cliff
, are absolutely perpendicular, but grad
e ually lessen in height toward the south
ern extremity, where gatc-like ren
has been formed, through which TIN
{. waters rush out in scalding torrent an,
. bear their heat with them far down tn
/, mountain sides, as they seek the easter
q sea at Mulatto Point. No vegetation
except the dreary clusia with ding
kind of moss, and not more cheerful look
!, ing growth OF pitcairnia, exists With
II the immediate range of tire heated su
g phureous vapors; but on looking roun
n we see the farther background closed /
n by noble forests
k Here we remained, as long as prl
,s dence and the mindfulness Of the Ion
], and difficult route that lay behind |
/, permitted, in wondering delight; trie
n 10 walk round the lake along the cliff
d but could not manage it; took measur
II ments; tested the heat of the water; i
g ritated the geyser-like action, where ne
Y too far from the margin, by throwir
lg down stones which were followed, aft,
" nearly moments interval, by the usu
t. result of mere violent ebullition ths
ID customary; and lastly, attempt'
Id sketches from several points Of view
~ but found the attempt to be a pursu
It, of art under difficulties, amid the bin
~ ing steam and pungent vapor.-Ndco'
We lqa's Margarine,
GoD made man to go by motives, al
SO he will not go without them, any mo
ke than boat without steam or blllo'