The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-27

thickly. covered with sno w.white ash and dust
as well as the walls of the crater ali round
from which with each fresh conclusion Ii kent
falling In huge landslips. On the furtbcr
side OF the bottom OF the crater was a " greot
hole or vent, almost completely obscurci by
the dense volumes OF smoke Issuing from n
which rose som 1900 to 5000 feet n Dove on,
heads;. the dust all around II kept Shining
down into the depths below. only to be shot I'M
again among the smoke. Every two or threc
minutes a fresh explosion would take plncc
and stones he thrown .up. making n strange
cracking noise "a they hurtlcd together In Tho
air. No outlet could be seen for the cscnpr Of
lava from the crater anywhere. Owing 10
shortnese of time. we had to start back again
after a STAY of only hal, an hour, and, as it
was. were overtaken by the darkness. feeling
our way at q nails pace for tho last mile
two, who seemed to intuitivelv. find his way
through the pitch darkness under the trees.
We followed in Indian Hl". and his warning
ground.' were passed from one to the other
along our long line, and saved us many a
about 4 p. NJ, after a most fntiSuing tramp
under a tropical sun. OF quit" thirty, miles, the
much from want NJ water.
A month later r second visit was paid to tho
crater. This time. knowing the road. tho
crater was reached In better time and allo ed
Of a longer stny there. The sight was even
inner thhn on the former occasion. a new
and much larger vent had op,uod NJ. dense
volumes Of blnck smoke were issuing from this
new. vent, while only steam or light-culnrrd
smoke came from tie old one. though only n
Z W .htUtTHltu tlc TWO. Al times, rs
the smoke cleared for q moment. we could seq
Tor a. considerable distance down this new vent,
which appeared to be more In the form OF n
assure than n hole. Far down below in tho
bowels of tie earth could he heard a roaring
ike a heavy surf beating on the shore; this
would gradually increase In sound rs each
fresh explosion slowly mounted ND the hole,
dense volumes OF thick black smoke yelling
out. with volleys of stones rising up above
the smoke and describing beautiful parabolls
in the air as they mounted up almust on n
level with where we were seated. their paths
often marked by n trail of light-colored smoke
like rockets. then falling back into the hole
or onto the ash at the sides. and occasion ally
into n pool of water that had collected after
the heavy rains since our first visit, always
with q sharp explosion and emission of steam,
sho wing that they must have been nearly red
hot. The cracking OF the stones as they
struck one another in the air was like n CON
slant heavy roll of muskctry fire. with occa-
sional louder reports and echoes back fro n the
walls or the crater. until 1t sounded as II "A
general engagement were taking place.
II was altogether a sight and sound hard to
equal in grandeur of effect. anu most fasci-
mating to watch. The ground where we snt
was in a state of constant tremor. with occa-
sional rather severe shocks. Shortly before
we left the explosions increased very much in
rapidity and violence. the smoke rose to an
enormous height above our heads, and, owing
most likely to a slight shift of wind. gradu-
ally filled the whole crater right no To where
we were-and, In fact, 1t ap Feared time to be Oft.