Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1902-06-03
CRATER PEEPED into
Prof. Heilprin the First to See the
Fiery Furnace.
THE RISK OF HIS LIFE
He Discovered the Crater's Opening 10
De Five Hundred Feet Long and
One Hundred and Fifty Feet
Wide and In Eruption. -

Fort de France. June 2.--The Ma.
tional Geographical society has scort
a great triumph. Prof. Angelo Heilprh
assembled TO the top OF the crater OF
Mount Pelee Saturday in company with
two guides and Mr.. Leadbetter. While
on the summit several violent explo-
sions occurred, but not knowing the
dangers surrounding him. Professor
Heilprin spent a long time taking care
full observations. Looking down the
crater he found a huge cinder cone.
The crater opening is vast crevasss
500 feet long and $50 feet wide. While
engaged in this task the lives OF the
members OF the expedition were con-
tinually in danger. and one particular
violent shock covered Prof. Heilprin
from head TO foot with yiscid matter.
He persisted. however. and found. Al
had been suspected. that there were
three separate vents of the volcanic
matter. Meanwhile Mont Pelee. seem
ed to resent the Intrusion OF man into
her awful territory. belched out huge
volumes OF steam. ashes and boiling
hot mud.
Professor Hollprin made the impor-
tant discovery that the crater OF Falliz
had an eruption az the same time as
the summit crater Hndi 5eii=9ts precisely
the same matter. Both craters showed
a new phenomenon during the profess
sor's visit when mud vas thrown up in
high columns. while. heretofore. the
mud has dubbed or boiled out and
flowed downward in huge streams.
There is reason 10 fear that great dam
age may result from the outbursts %
this mud TO the rich plantations stiii
uninjured.
Professor Heilprins journey down
the side of the mountain was full G.
penlOus as the ascent.
The expedition had been especially
organized by United States Consul
Ayme and Professor HeilpTin and was
led by the latter.
Mr. Clerc furnishes the following de-
tails OF Prof Hellprin's ascent
The party proceeded on mules TO an
altitude OF 700 metres. the ancient line
Of vegetation. From this point Prof.
Heilprin continued on foot. leaving the
mules that hAi carried him up the
steep hogback 10 the tree line. Upon
reaching the site OF Lake Palmiste the
professor found Il completely dried 10.
He crossed the bed OF the lake and
continued up ON the gently rising slope
to the crater Formerly thF edge OF
the crater was n high blum, or shout
der. This the explorer found had fall
en- into the great crater. and he thinks
this change prubably occurred at the
time 06 the great explosion 81 May 20.
This is the first important topographic
alterauon In Mont Pelee which ms
been nJtRd and verified.
Prof Heilprin arrived at the edge OF
the summit crater at 1880 o'clock and
remained there for over twO hours.
When he returned 10 Vive' he resem-
bled Is statue W mud. The weight OF
ashes and mud he carried on his per-
son. the horrible atmosphere he
breathed aud the fearful difficulties he
encountered reduced him TO a ccndi-
ton m extreme fatigue. nptwlthstAnd-
ing hs assembled Mont Pelee from the
most accessible and easiest side. Prof
Heilprin may return 10 Fort de France
to-day II he has sufficiently recovered
to do so