The Savannah morning news., 1902-06-04
KEENAN, CLIMBED MT. PELEE.
Daring Explorer Accompanied Prof.
HeiIprin on Second Trip to Crater.


HeiIprin ON Second Trip 10 Crater.
Fort de France, June 8, / p. m.-
George KEENAN,, accompanied by
Messrs. Jaccaci and Varian, arrived
here at II o'clock this morning after
an absence of twelve days. Prof. An
gelo Heilprin, president of the Philadel-
phia Geographical Society, who is in
Martinique under the auspices of the
National Geographical Society. and Mr..
Ledbetter are expected to reach Fort
de France tonight.
Prof Heilprin, Mr.. KEENAN, and Mr..
Narian have assembled Mont Pelee.
They stood on the very edge of the
crater and looked down on the mean
descent mass within. This ascent was
made last Sunday and was the second
time Prof. Heilprin climbed the noun
tain. All the explorers are in perfect
health and good spirits. No accidents
occurred on the trip up the mountain,
although the explorers were exposed
to many hardships and dangers.
Mr. kenun's Description.
In an interview with the correspond
ent of the Associated Press Mr.. Ken
nan said:
Five of us started for the crater of
the volcano last Sunday and three of
us reached our objective. We crossed
Lake Paliste. which is now dry and
full of boulders and huge ragged rocks
of trachyte, rhyolit3 and andesite We
then climbed and reached the edge OF
the crater We found it to be
| huge chasm or creVasse, with
perpendicular walls. We could not see
down into the crater more than $50
feet; It was like looking into a white
hot furnace. The chasm opens out
towards ST. Pierre. but the enormous
columns Of steam cut off the view in
| that direction. There were hundreds of
frmaroles all about us. What was
| thought to be a cone of cinders in
the crater was learned to be in reality
a huge pile of gigantic rocks. There
we're cakes of sulphur everywhere; we
saw no ashes or cinders in or near the
crater The whole vast bed of the old
crater and of Lake Palmiste is EMIT
ing steam through thousands of OFFICES.
1.-THE ascent of Lake Palmiste is up
! long and sharp incline covered with
ashes. These had been soaked by the
rain, and as we proceeded there were
terrifying gorges full of hot volcanic
debris on each side of us Every FOOT
step dislodged ashes and our footing
was most insecure. There were also
clouds of sulphurous smoke, through
which the sunlight swept at intervals.
The ascent was the most terrifying eX-
perience of my life, yet Prof. Heilprin,
the previous day, had sat enveloped in
darkness on the lip of what was once
Lake Palmiste and had descended the
horrible crater in a thunderstorm CO
volcanic clouds and almost complete
| darkness"
saw Great Explosion.
ION the night of the 18th occurred
| the great explosion of the volcano All
that day Mont Pelee had been vomit-
ing masses of yellow, mud-colored va
por, We now knew that this presaged
a serious explosion. We heard fearful
detonations during the 10Th and huge
columns OF black smoke. alive with
| lightning-like and terrifying flashes
rose from the crater. A great column
which rose to the hight of a mile and
a half Yas lit up by the fire of the
fierce reflection of the incandescent
mass within the crater The popula-
ton of Vive plantation became panic
stricken at the eruption and went
| to Acier. two miles further
away Mr.. Jaccaci and l returned
to Vive.
1.-The day had been one of terrifying
experiences and of inconceivable gran
deur.
The Awful FaIlaise Valley.
THE Both we tried to ascend to the
crater from this side, along the Gale
Basse divide. From the crest of the
divide we had a wonderful view into
, the awful Fallaise valley, which was
tremendous seething gorge Of ter
rible volcanic activity. We were driven
| back by a severe thunderstorm and
very nearly lost each other in the
| dense volcanic clouds We planted a
record stake at the highest point we
reached, on which we inscribed our
names While at Morne Rouge we saw
and interrogated the man who was res
cued from the dungeon in st. Pierre,
and who is the only real survivor of
the city"
Mont Pelee is quiet to-day, but great
volumes of steam are issuing from the
volcano. The lower mud craters, how
ever, are still pouring forth torrents.
The LePrecheur district is said to be
caving in, but this report has not been
/ Nerifiad