The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1902-05-29
into deep falling folds" Never were

There are great forests of them in the
cool, moist recesses of the hills-many
OF the separate fern-trees standing
twenty feet or more in height, yet as
dalntily angled and pennated as the
smaller ones of the North. Groves of
Wild bananas are very conspicuous in
the dense mass of greenery, with their
enormous, pale green leaves, thick
punches of fruit, and the scarlet seed
receptacles hanging down the stem of
the tree as by twisted rope. Tiny
cane and coffee plantations, hedged
with cocoa palms, are met in the most
unexpected and almost inaccessible
places; and upon every declivity too
steep to be planted, cascades burst
through the close natural vegetation.
keeping all incomparably fresh and
green.
Everybody has heard of Dominica's
boiling lake. away up in the wild heart
OF the central mountains. We did not
succeed in getting to it: but we went
far enough to see its ascending steam.
and the smoke from two other sou
fIleres, as volcanic craters, whether
extinct or active, are called by the
French i'll the West Indies. The whole
island is highly volcanic. and as late as
1850 there was tremendous eruption
from one OF the soutrieres. The boil
ing lake was undoubtedly once a geyser.
the violence and volume of Whost. flow
deepened and Increased the aperture
by which it escaped. until it reached its
present dlmensions-a great boiling
caldrOn, four hundred feet across. sur
rounded 10y walls from eighty to one
hundred feet high. Its rim OF ferrugin-
Gus earth, with stones and rocks i'm
bedded, IS as nearly perpendicular as
its consistency Will allow. As the
banks are constantly caving in. no
amount of curiosity should induce the
traveller to lessen very respectful
distance between himself and this in
ferno. The water in the so-called lake
varies IN temperature from ninety to
two hundred degrees. Sometimes it is
IN violent connection, when the sound
OF its boiling can be heard for miles:
and again it is nearly quiescent.
We scrambled down into gorge
where sulphurous exhalatious filled the
air and it was difficult to find enough
solid ground to bear ones weight.
Heaps of sulphur stones We're scattered
all about. and the undiscovered with
soft Sphagnum-weTe emerald green
and chalky white, streaked with vivid
red and yellow. Some of the streams
flowing in Were white as milk. owing
to the quantity of magnesia held in
solution: others We're ocherous blue,
green. and one was black as ink. Some
We're icy cold to the touch: others so
not that our guides boiled plantains in
them. Here and there Jets of steam es-
capped from assures in the Quaking
crust and the soil. If soil it may he call |
ed, was so hot that it compelled rs to
keep lifting our feet. as on a tread-mill |
Qolte too near the internal regions to be |
either safe or comfortable.
The most beautiful place near Roseau
is the savannah or public garden, ON A |
bluff commanding a magnificent view
of the harbor and its environs. Here
all the trees OF the tropics grow to per |
lection IN the asConishingly fertile red
soil OF the island together with MANY
products OF the temperate zone. The
whole is hedged with wilderness Of
roses and haunted by myriads of bright
winged birds and butterflies. From
this point a shaded and grassy rail
leads down between long rows of iowlv
cabins, to the promenade ground with
III stones throw OF the surf inst
beyond this is a ruined cemetery of the
early French era. whose fallen head
stones bear old French names. and
some OF them titles and coat-of-arms:
While the Caribbean sea, whose rest
less spray often sprinkles the OUTLYING
graves, murmurs All everlasting re
QUEEN TO the forgotten dead
FANNIE b. WARD.