The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-01
THE BOILING LAKE
TRAGEDY THAT PRECEDED MT
 PELLETS ERUPTION,
Death of W. M. Give Due to Early Manifestation of Volcanic Forces. Lake a Worlds Wonder Was
 Only Discoverd 20 Years Ago

There is little doubt that the tragedy at the IIslous, put seldom visited Boiling Lake of gus manifestation of the awakening volcanic nTes, says the New York Sun
 the or,,r,ta ,hat point Of view the first victim of ens eruption was Wilfred Nj. Give, a descend- ant or the Clive who laid the foundation of % %England,s Indian Empire. He met his death while exploring in an idle moment the strange Wild, Caribbean Island of Dominica
 . iascinating. beautiful. treacherous island is , ms same Dominica. The molten lava sea, .nat Int underlies the island seethes beneath so tnin covering that, warmed up with an in- eomparanie luxuriance that makes it the most this covering that everywhere streams of boil. ing sulphurous water break through milky Sds, %n,5e, poisoning the orchid, air with oeaoly Vapors, while high up the noun tam lies the Boiling Lake. one of Natures
 It may seem incredible that on an island oniy twenty nine miles long by sixteen broad wonder like the Boiling Lake could exist TOT 400 years. during which time Carlos Span lards French and English had apparently fought over every square inch of it, without being seen its existence even Suspected Yet 1t was only about twenty years ago that of water.
 Any one who has visited Dominica can un- wrinkled is the island with high mountain ranges and deep, sunless valleys and so im- penetrabie are the closely woven forests and everything there that the journey across the island consumes two full days time
 above the level of the sea. on the flank of Mount Diabotin. the highest peak in the west Indies. Mir. Give determined to visit it straightway.
 So. on December 20. accompanied by Ger ala Mcdonald and a guide Give set out from reached at o'clock in the afternoon. Leaving Mcdonald behind, Give began the climb un- der the guidance of Jean Jules and Manton Rollins or, as many visitors to Dominica will better remember them. wyiie and Dugrusclin
 The scenery grew wilder and more unnatur- green swept down unon fhy she o tS. 1I Hns Ss above. fighting for every inch of the narrow path along the precipice
 The air became heavy with the scent of orchids srowtng on outspreading limbs. sheer hundred feet above their heads. A soft nncsasinE tsasI rustling as thousands of creeping drowned at intervals by the hoarse cry of the Devils bird-strange of shape. with long black bsak and feet like ducks feet, but armed with terrible long claws, black as Erebus, we'll deserving the evid name the na- tive Carlos bestowed upon 1t.
 Other strange sounds not so easily account ed for, were heard. In short, the path stretched through enchanted forest, filled with Heaven alone knows what mysterious dangers for the unwary' traveller.
 At last the Petit Souetiere was reached a deep basin, some two hundred feet across, sur rounded by hills. green to their summits, It was only hundred feet down. but a half hour of hardest work was needed to accomplish
 Thence they moved on toward the lake More weary cutting of giant creepers. often five inches thick. More stumbling over jagged rocks and toilingu palmost perpcndicu- lar slopes. and then they stood, upon the cliffs above the Boiling Lake itself.
 It was. apparently, the ancient crater of a long-forgotten volcano, seemingly breathing its last painful expiring breath as they looked It is this lake whose sudden disappearance. when Pelee thundered, threw all Dominica into wild terror.
 About 300 feet wide, the encircling walls rose 100 feet from the water. Generally the lake was covered with clouds of jfa temperature was 120 degrees. but on this December morning says the one survivor of though the bubblng of it's surface. if any thing: was more violent than usual.
 Wylie, who was old, experienced guide was so alarmed at this that he begged Mir, Give not to go down to the water, but Give, not to be detained by any fancicd danger, had already started. At first all went well. though the atmosphere was almost unbear- able.
 MT Give attempted some photographs with out success after which the guides showed him little stream tumbing over the clii and then lunch was served. sudden burst guides to the edge of the lake and try to take another photograph. when they again returned to the waterfall.
 When lunch was over Give went down to the shore more. and scarcely had he left when everything began to look black before Rollins eyes. Feeling, as he afterward des- cribed it. as if he were dying. he started to run but fell down unconscious. b, h9se s rev Jew stag s,agserng m s.eps m probably saved lying overcomew here he first felt the effects of gas. Petrihed with terror Rollins could not move but called to Give. who. running up. lifted Wylie's head from the ground and started to rub his limbs in an effort to bring him to.
 T told Mir Give" said Rollins at the in quest. that felt as if I was dying and that Wyle was dead and not to remain any longer. but to return
 Gives reply brief, but unmlstakable
 No; Wylie Is not dead; go down to Laudat l and get the doctor"
 With what alacrity Rollin obeved this com mand can be imagined. As he climbed the | crater wall he saw the Englshman. unheed- l ing the deadly peril only too plainly visible | now. hunting quickly. but without excite | ment through the travelling case for the brandy bottle
 That was the last time this gallant gentle | man, who would not try to save himself while | even a poor negro guide was in danger, was l seen alive. From Laudet party with ham mocks and torches started for the lake. while | a boy horseback galloped to town for a | doctor. But no doctor could be of use to these | who were left in that death trap.
 The first relief party could scarcely stand | on the edge of the cliff and look down on the l bodies below, so strong had the gases become | and both Give and the negro were dead be- l yond doubt.
 Give lay about fifteen feet away. the half emptied brandy flask showing he had not | ceased in his efforts to save Nylie until the | last. Escape would have been easily possible. | for. strange to say. the first outburst of gas had not affected Clive at all.
 For two days the watchers on the cliff were driven from the bodies by the fumes. At last the old volcano consented to give up it's prey.
 On the island at least this burst of gas is now believed to have foreghadowed the erup-