Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-02
AT THE EDGEOF CRATER
PROF. ANGELO HEIIPRIN,S PER
ILoUs ACT AT PELEE.
Violent Explosions Covered Scientist
With Ashes and Hot Mud
New Phenomenon.

FORT DE FRANCE. Island Of Marti-
nique. Saturday. May 81. p-m.-The Ma
tional Geographic Society has scored a great
triumph through its representative here,
Professor Angelo Heilprin, who. this morn
ing. with three guides. assembled to the top
Of the crater the summit of Mont Pelee
The expedition left Fort de France last
Thursday, May %. at noon. Friday was
spent in studying the newly formed era
tiers on the north flank Of the mountain.
Saturday morning Professor Heilprin deter
mined tc 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
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 a
huge cinder cone in the center of the era
ter. The opening of the crater itself is a,
vast crevice 800 feet long and $50 feet wide.
Several Violent Explosions.
While Professor Heiiprin was on the sum-
nit of the volcano several violent explo-
sions 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 to completely OBJ
Scure 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 persisted
in his study and observations however,
and twice more was showered with mud.
He learned, as had been suspected, that
there was three separate vents through
which steam issued. Full details of the
professors observations cannot be had until
he returns to Fort de France.
The professor made the important dis
coVery that the crater at the head of the
river Fallaise has synchronous eruptiOns
with the crater at the summit of the vol
cano. and that it elects precisely the same
matter at such times.
A New Phenomenon.
The river Fallaise crater and the crater at
the summit showed during Prof. 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 mass of intensely hot mud was
elected. This flow reached the rum distn-
lery on the Vive plantation, and extin-
guished all the fires there. This torrent of
mud may invade the entire plantation, and,
as Five is the center of one of the richest
districts of the island, it is feared the dam
age may be great.
Mr.. Clerc furnishes the following further
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 reaching the site of Lake Palmiste,
the professor found 1t completely dried up.
He crossed the bed of the lake and con-
tinued on up the gently rising slope to the
crater. Formerly the edge of the crater
was a high bluff, or shoulder. This, the
explorer found, had fallen into the great
crater, and he thinks this change probably
occurred at the time of the explosion Of
May 20 This is the first important topo-
graphic alteration in Mont Pelee which has
been noted and verified.
Two Hours at Edge of Summit
Prof. Heilprin arrived at the edge of the
summit crater at 100 and remained there
for over two hours. When he returned to
Vive he resemb1ed a statue of mud The
weight of ashes and mud he carried on his
person the horrible atmosphere he breathed
and the fearful difficulties he encountered
reduced him to a condition of extreme
fatigue, notwithstanding the fact that he
assembled Mont Pelee from the most ac-
ceSSibe and easiest side. Prof Heilprin
may return to Fort de France tomorrow if
he has sufficiently recovered by that time
to do so. "
George KEENAN, annd his party who went
to Morne Rouge. found. on their return this
afternoon, that a bridge across the road
had 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