The Bourbon news., 1902-06-03
He SAW THE CRATER.
Prof Heilprin Reached the Sum-
nit Of Mont Pelee.
Violent Explosions Of Steam and Gin
der-Laden Vapor Took Place and
Again and Again His Life
Was in Danger.

Fort De France, Island of Martin
iQue, June Is p. m.-The National
Geographical society has scored a
great triumph through its representa-
tive here, Prof. Angelo Heilprin, who,
Saturday morning, with three guides,
ascended to the top OF the crater on
the summit of Mont Pelee. Prof. He'll
prin is also president of the Philadel-
phia Geographical society.
Prof. Heilprin had gone to the plan
tation Vive, which is near the crater,
in company with Ferdinand Clerc and
Mr.. Reid, landed proprietors of Mar
Unique. This expedition had been es-
pecially organized by United States
Consul Ayme and Prof. Heilprin, and
was led by the latter
The expedition left Fort De France
last Thursday, May 20, at noon. Fri
day was spent in studying the newly
founded craters on the north flank of
the mountain. Saturday morning Prof.
Heilprin determined to attempt the
ascent to the top of the crater, and
with this purpose in view he set out at
o'clock.
The volcano was very active, but,
amid thousand dangers, Prof. He'll
prin reached the summit and looked
down into the huge crater. He saw a
huge cinder cone in the center of the
crater. The opening of the crater it.
self is a vast crevice 500 feet long and
$50 feet wide.
While Prof. Heilprin was on the
summit of the volcano several violent
explosions of steam and cinder-laden
vapor took place, and again and again
his life was in danger. Ashes fell
about him in such quantities at times
as to completely obscure his vision.
One particularly violent explosion
of mud covered the professor from
head to foot with the hideous, viscid
and semi-solid matter. He still per-
sisted in his study, however, and twice
more was showered with mud He
learned, as had been suspected, that
there were three separate vents
through which steam issued
Full details of the professors OBJ
servations can not be had until he re-
turns to Fort De France.
Prof. Heilprin's journey down the
side of the mountain was fully as per-
ilous as the ascent. Mont Pelee seem
ed to resent the intrusion of a puny
human being into her most awful pre-
cincts, and belched out huge volumes
of steam, ashes and boiling hot mud.
Heilprin remained at the summit era
ter over two hours.
The professor made the important
discovery that the crater at the head
OF the River Fallaise has synchronous
eruptiOns with the crater at the sum-
nit of the volcano, and that it elects
precisely the same matter at such
times. The river Fallaise crater and
the crater at the summit showed dur
ing Prof. Heilprin's visit new phe-
nOmenon. Mud was thrown up in high
columns. Heretofore the mud has bub-
bled and boiled out and flowed down
ward in huge streams. In the course
OF one eruption of the river Fallaise
crater an enormous mass of intense
ly hot mud was elected. This flow
reached the rum distillery on the
Vive plantation and extinguished all
the fires there This torrent of mud
may invade the entire plantation, and.
as Vive is the center of one of the rich
est districts of the island, it is feared
the damage may be great.