Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-06-02
CLIMBED CRATER.
Continued from page ~
800 feet long and $50 feet wide.

800 feet long and $50 feet wide.
While Prof. Heilprin was on the sum-
NIT Of the volcano. several violent ex-
blossoms of steam and undertaken va
por 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 Prof. Heilprin from head to
foot with the hideous, viscid and semi
solid matter thrown out. Prof. Heilprin
still persisted in his study and observa-
tons, however. and twice more he was
ShOWered with mud. He learned, as
had been suspected, that there We're
three separate vents through which
steam issued. Full details of the pre-
fessor's observations cannot be had I'M
til he returns to Fort de France.
Prof Heilprin's journey down the
side Of the mountain was fully as peril
Gus as the ascent. Mont Pelee seemed
to resent the intrusion of a puny hui
man being into her most awful pre-
cincts and be!ched out huge volumes Of
steam. ashes and boiling mud.
Prof. Heilpr1n made the important
'iS'cNtlN Illotl bIie Crater ~ the mead
of the river Fallaise has synchronous
eruptions with the crater at the sum-
init 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-
nomCnon. Mud was thrown up in high
columns. Heretofore the mud has bub-
bled or boiled out and flowed downward
in huge streams. In the course of one
eruption Of the River Fallaise crater.
one enormous mass Of intensely hot
mud was elected This flow reached
the rum distillery on the Vive planta-
ton 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 richest districts Of
the island it is feared the damage there
may be great.
MIR. Clerc furnishes the following fur
Their details of Prof. Heilprin's ascent.
The party proceeded on mules to an
altitude of 200 meters, the ancient line
of vegetation. From this point Prof.
Heilprin continued on foot. leaving the
mule that had carried him up the steep
hogback TO the tree line. Upon reach
ing the site of Lake Palmist, Prof.
Heiiprin found it to be completely dried
up. He crossed the bed of the lake and
continued on up the gently rising slope
to the crater. Formerly the edge of the
crater was high bluff or shoulder.
This the explorer found had fallen in
ward to the great crater. and he thinks
this change probably occurred at the
time of the great explosion of May 90.
This is the first important topographic
alteration in Mont Pelee which has been
noted and verified.
Prof. Heilprin arrived at the edge OF
the summit crater at 1.30 and remained
there for over two hours. When he re-
turned to Vive he resembled a statue of
mud. The weight of ashes and mud he
carried on his person, the horrible at
mospbere he breathed and the fearful
dlf1culties he encountered reduced Prof
Heilprin to condition Of extreme IA
tisue. Notwithstanding the fact that he
assembled Mont Pelee from the most ac-
cessible and easiest side.
Prof. Heilprin may return to Fort de
France, tomorrow, If he has sufficiently
recovered by that time to travel
Geo. KEENAN, and his party, which went
to Morne Rouge. found on their returi
trip that bridge across the road haG
been carried away by torrent of hot |
mud. Negroes managed to get the party
across the obstruction; they took the car
riages to pieces and carried them and the |
members of the party to the other sida
of the river of mud. which was still hot
All the members of Mr.. Kennans party
are well. m