The evening Republican., 1902-06-02
MONT PELEE SCALED
Professor Heilprin Looks In
to the Crater.
OBSERVATIONS In FACE OF DEATH.
Daring Explorer Returned Covered
With Mud and Ashes, but Scored
Great Triumph For National
Geographical Society.

/ Great Triumph For National
Geographical Society.
FORT DE FRANCE, Martinique,
June The National Geographical So
ciety has scored great triumph
through its representative here, Pro-
fesscr Angelo Heilprin, who, with
three guides, has assembled to the top OF
the crater Oh the summit of Mont Pc.
lee. Professor Heilprn is also presi.
dent of the Philadelphia Geographical
society
Professor Heilprin had gone to the
Plantation Vive, which is near the era
ter, in company with Fernand Cferc
and Mrs. Rietl, landed proprietors of
Martinique This expedition had been
especially organized by United States
Consul Ayme and Professor Heilprin
and was led by the latter The expe-
dition left Fort de France last Thurs.
day, May 70, at noon. Friday was
spent in studying the newly formed
craters on the north flank Of the noun
tain. Saturday morning Professor He'll
prin determined to attempt the ascent
to the top Of the crater, and with this
purpose in view lie set cut at o'clock.
The volcano was very active, but
amid a thousand dangers Professor
Heilprin reached the summit and
looked down into the huge crater.
Here he spent some time in taking
careful observations. He saw huge
cinder cone in the center of the crater.
The opening Of the crater itself is
vast crevice 500 feet long and 100 feet
wide. While Professor Heilprin was
on the summit of the vocalb several
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 Professor 1eilprin from
head to foot with the hideous viscid
and semsolid matter thrown out.
Professor Helprin still persisted in
his study and observations, however,
and twice more was he showered with
mud. He learned, as had been suspect
ed that there were three separate
vents through which steam issued.
Full details Of the professors observa-
lions cannot be had until he returns to
Fort de France.
Professor Helprin's journey down
the side of the mountain was fully as
perilous as the ascent. Mont Pclce
seemed to resent the intrusion of a puny
human being into her most awful pre-
cincts and bclchcd out huge volumes
Of steam ashes and boiling hot mud
Professor lleiiprin made the impor-
tant discovery that the crater at the
head of the river Falaise has syn
chronous symptoms with the crater at
the summit 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
during Professor Heilprin's visit a new
phenomenon. Mud was thrown up in
high columns. Heretofore the mud has
dubbed or boiled out and flowed down.
ward in huge streams. In the course
of one eruption of the river Fallaise
crater an enormous pass or intensely
hot mud was elected. This flow
reached the rum distiliery on the Vivc
plantation and eX,inguished all the
fires there. This torrent of mud may
invade the entire plantation and as
Vive is the centre of one Of the richest
districts of the iss,nd it is feared the
damage there may be great.
Professor Heilprin arrived at the
edge of the summit Of the crater ut
half past 1 and remained there for
over two hours. When he returned to
EIve, he resembled statue of mud.
The weight of ashes and mud he car
rlcl on his person, the horrible atmos-
pherc he breathed and the fearful diff.
crltes he encountered reduced Profess
or lIeilprin to a condition Of extreme
fatigue witbstandng the fact that
he assembled Mont pclce from the most
accessible and easiest side.