The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-05-29
VISITED MONT PELEE
ro,oGIsT HILL RETURNS FROM
HIS EXPEDITION.
HAD ROUGH EXPERIENCE.
.oIcANo STILL POURING OUT
SMOKE AND CINDERS.

celebration Proved Both Difficult
II Dongerous-Saw Explosion
ron, Mont PeIec Monday Night.
gigantic Mushroom shaped Clouds
.cended and Spread Out over His
Head with Horizontal Bolts or
r,crce Lightning-Other Unusual
j. phenomena Noted.
Fort de France, Island of Martin
me May %, p. ma tremendous
& ,olosion of very black smoke from
gont Pelee at a quarter before 8
cock this morning accentuated the
BAR entertained for the safety of
c.orpe KEENAN,, the American author.
rho with land party, has been ex-
mining the northern part of the
Jand NJ. PHuerre, the governor of
Martinique was at once seen with
ma object of arranging for a rescue
Marty to proceed by land, in connec-
lion with the voyage along the coast
# the United States cruiser Cincin-
natl should such steps appear neces-
sary.
# Al about II o'clock this morning
#Fernand Clerc, a wealthy landed pro-
nrietor of Martinique, arrived here and
announced that Mr.. KEENAN, and his
marty were safe on plantation at the
north end of the island.
Prof. Robert T. Hill, United States
government geologist and head of the
expedition, sent to Martinique by the
National Geographic Society, who left
Fort de France Monday on horseback
8 FOR the volcano, returned here this
( morning. He was, completely worn out
lby his trip.
Prof. Hill recites- an interesting story
&of his examination of the district
Through which he passed. He left
Fort de France at 1 o'clock Monday
fafternOon He was accompanied
10y Mr.. Cavanaugh, an army
4officer from the British island of
STrinidad and a boy named Joe. who
Wds to act as interpreter. The party
8set out on horseback and took the di-
#rect north road for Morne Rouge. Be
#tween the hamlets of Deux Choux and
#FOnds st. Denis, the party entered up
On the outer edge of the zone of ashes
Except for occasional patches, all the
n country to this point was green and
Smiling. Upon reaching the Raibaud
plantation, one mile southwest of st.
Pierre. the explorers met the clear
81 Pine of demarkation of the zone of
fame and destruction, although not of
z Humiliation. Monday night was spent
in a deserted house at Fonds st. Denis,
from which Prof. Hill witnessed and
q studied the volcanic eruption of that
n'ght. At this point the horses of
the party became exhausted.
Cattle Wanted Human COmuany.
Early the next morning Prof. Hill
pushed on to Mont Parnasse, where
several people were killed in the erup-
ion of May 8. He encountered no
human beings, but he did meet a
s humber of abandoned cattle, which
fried to follow him. From Mont Par
nasse the explorer proceeded to Morne
Rouge, where he succeeded in getting
number of important photographs.
he found that close approach to
Mont Pelee was impossible, and, as
MS actual position was dangerous,
he started back in southerly direc-
uon. At Champs Flore, Prof. Hills
morse gave out completely and he Sc
cured the services of native guides
VINO led him by wild mountain paths
back to Ponds st. Denis and Deux
ChouX. Tuesday night was spent at
the latter place From this point Prof.
mn sent messenger into Fort de
France with a request that a carriage
De sent for him. Wednesday morning
lhe Professor left DeuX Choux and
walked to within fifteen kilometers of
rurt Qe France, where he borrowed an
oiu morse from a negro and continued
MS way mounted. The carriage met
MN five kilometres from Fort de
rance and brought him back to town,
"hefe he arrived at IL o'clock this
morning.
Prof Hill heard the explosion this
lnoInlng while on his way into Fort
Ne france, and he says a cloud of
placK smoke, at a great hight was
drifting slowly to the southeast.
speaking personally of his expedition
10 Mont Pelee, Prof. Hill said:
Prof. Hills Experience.
my attempt was to examine the
crater of Mont Pelee has been futile.
succeeded, however in getting very
,1 ose TO Morne Rouge. AtN7 o'clock
siouuay night l witnessed from a point
iedr the ruins of st. Pierre a frightful
Apioslon from Monte Pelee and noted
ne accompanying phenomena. While
Siese eruptions continue no sane nan
s'uiu attempt to ascend to the crater
=. the volcano. Following the salvos
detonations from the mountain gil
ssluc mushroom shaped columns
q smoke and cinders ascend
INTO the clear. starlit sky
sat then spread, in vast black Sheet
lhe south and directly over my head
5nough this sheet, which extended a
rStdhce of ten miles from the crater,
iva and awful lightning like bolts
s sashed with alarming frequency. They
rMo"ed distinct paths of ignition, but
4. inherent from lightning, in that
ooits were horizontal and not per-
Hu'cular. This is indisputable evil
s"Ce OF the explosive oxidation of the
sS after they left the crater This
most important observation and
p'dlns' in part, the awful catastro-
Ihls phenomenon is entirely new
volcanic history.
Admits He Was Frightened.
look many photographs, but do not
49, lie 10 acknowledge that was ter
a 81. but l was not the only person
No. shtened. Two newspaper CORE
uehts who were close to Mornel
Esrs some hours before me became
H. ran three miles down the noun
art ana fastened into Fort de France.
81 h. people on the north end of the
oi. ~ are terrified. and are fleeing with
IN cattle and effects. / spent Tues
ia Hsnt in a house at Deux Choux
c,Iowd Of 200 frightened refugees.
slr..'ly all the phenomena OF these
ad ic outbreaks are new 10 science.
trl.ti.any OF them have not yet been
act..u The volcano is still intense
,,i.-fe' ana ! cannot make any pre-
II a MI. IL