New-York tribune., 1902-06-04

was the second time Professor Heilprin climbed
the mountain.
Ali the explorers are in perfect health and good
spirits. No accidents occurred the trip up the
mountain. although the explorers were exposed
TO many hardships and dangero- In an inter
view with a correspondent Mr.. Kennan said:
must preface all have to say by paving the
highest possible tribute Professor Heilprin-
He is modest and brave. superb mountaineer,
kiand the nerviest and pIuclziest l ever knew.
Professor Heiprin's first ascent Of Mont Pelee,
last Saturday, with Mr.. Leadbetter, was most
awful experience, yet he started a second time
undaunted.
Five of us started for the crater Of the volcano
last Sunday, and three of reached our OBJ
jective point We crossed Lake Palmiste, which
is now dry and full Of bowlders and huge, rag
ged rocks of trachyte, rfyolite and andesite.
THE CRATER IN ACTION.
We then climbed on UP and reached the edge
Of the crater. We found il 10 be huge chasm
or crevasse. with perpendicular walls. We could
not see down into the crater more than $50 feet
II was like looking into white hot furnace.
The chssm opens out toward St Pierre. but the
enormous columns of steam cut off the view in
that direction. There were hundreds of fuma-
roles ali about US What was thought to be a
cone of cinders in the crater was learned in re-
alifv TO lie a huge pile Of gigantic rocks piled up
one upon the other. There were crusts Of sui
phur everywhere. but saw no ashes or Gin
5ers in or near the crater The whole vast bed
Of the old crater and of Lake Palnliste is emit
ting steam through thousands of orifces.
The ascent to Lake Palmiste is up a long and
sharn incline covered with ashes. These had
been soaked by the rain, and as we proceedeu
there were terrifying gorges full Of hot vol
.-,ic matter on each side Of us. Every foot
s.er dislodged ashes and our footing was most
Insecure There were also clouds Of sulphurous
smoke through which the sunlight swept at in
tervals.
The ascent was the most terrifying experience
of NV life. yet Professor Heilprin the previous
day had sat enveloped in darkness on the I'D
of what was once Lake Palmiste, and had de-
scended the horrible arete in a thunderstorm OF
volcanic clouds and almost complete darkness
Mr.. Leadbetter with him.
AN ACCOUNT OF THE TRIP.
TIE itinerary of our party was as follows:
May % we went TO Vfve Plantation. the prop
erty OF Herman Clerc. Vive is on the river
Capot into which flows the river Fallaise. from
the new crater Vive is in the new volcanic
area and our position there was very danger
ors On May "a we went TO Basse Pointe. On
the 25th we went to ST. Pierre. and returned to
Basse Pointe by way Of Morne Rouge Our
marty was the first TO make this trip. We fol-
lowed TIE old road TO the point where the vol
canic tornado had swept across it, and from
there we followed down the track Of the tor
nado.
THE spectacle here was truly appalling; there
were numeeriess bodies on every side. On the
night of the 26th occurred the great explosion
Of the volcano. All that day Mont Pelee had
ieen vomiting masses of yellow, mud coored
rapor We know now that this presages Sc
rious explosion. We heard fearful detonations
during the 26th, and huge columns OF black