The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-06-04
GAzED INTO
PELEEsCRAIER
.Thgs ,.sAen Ascend Ascend Mar
Unique Volcano.
RUN THE GREATEST RISKS
Valuable Data Believed to
Have Been Secured.
Explorer Borchgrevink Thinks That
st, Pierre will Never Again Be
Inhabited-A New Con-
sui is Selected.
RUN THE GREATEST RISKS


George KEENAN,, accompanied by Messrs.
Jacoaci and varian, arrived here at il
o'clock this morning after an absence OF
twelve days. Prof. Angelo Heilprin,
President of the Philadelphia Geographi-
cal Society, who is in Martinique under
the auspices of the National Geographical
Society, and Mr.. Ledbetter are expected
to reach Fort de France tonight.
Professor Heilprin, Mr.. KEENAN, ana
Mr.. varian have assembled Mont Pelee.
They stood on the very edge of the crater
and looked down on the incandescent
macs within. This ascent was made last
Sunday and was the second time Profess
sof Heilprin climbed the mountain. All
the explorers are in perfect health ana
spirits. No accidents occurred on the
trip UP the mountain. although the ex-
plorers were exposed to many hardships.
In an interview with the correspondent
of the Associated Press, Mr.. KEENAN, said:
IT must preface all I have to say by
paying the highest possible tribute to Pro-
fessor Heilprin. He Is modest and
brave, a superb mountaineer. ana the
nerviest and pluckiest man l ever knew.
PROFESSOR IIGlipfih . AL ~ oSSShb - ~'~o-s~
Pelee last Saturday with MIR. Ledbetter
was a most awful experience. yet he
started a second time undaunted.
Three Climbed Pelee.
81 Five of us started for the crater of
the volcano last Sunday and three OF us
reached our objective. We crossed
Lake Palmiste. which is now dry, and
full of boulders and huge, ragged rocks
of trachyte, rhyolite and andescite. we
then climbed on up and reached the cage
of the crater. We found 1t to be a huge
chasm, or crevasse, with perpendicular
rwaIls weAcetild not see down into the
crater more than one hundred and fifty
feet: it was like looking into whte-hot
furnace The chasm opens out towards
St Pierre, but the enormous columns OF
steam cut off the view in that direction.
There were hundreds of fumaroles all
about U.S. What was thought to be a
cone of cinders in the crater was learned
in reality to be a huge pile of gigantic
rocks piled up one on the other. There
were crusts of sulphur everywhere, but
we saw no ashes or cinders in or near
the crater. The whole vast bed OF the
old crater and of Lake Palmiste is emit
ting steam through thousands OF orif1ces.
'1The ascent to Lake Palimiste Is up a
long and sharp incline covered with asnes.
These had been soaked by the rain ana
as we proceeded there were terrifying
gorges full of hot. volcanic debris on
each side of us.
Clouds of sulphurous Smoke.
Every footstep dislodged ashes and
our footing was most insecure. There were
also clouds of sulphurous smoke through
which the sunlight swept at intervals.
The ascent was the most terrifying ex-
perence of my life. yet Professor He'll
prem the previous day had sat enveloped
in darkness in what was once Lake Pal
miste and had descended in a thunder
storm of volcano clowds and almost
complete darkness. Mr.. Ledbetter was
with him.
THE itinerary of our party" continues
Mr. KEENAN,, was as follows:
May q, we went to Vive Plantation,
the property of Herman Clerc. Vive is on
the River Capot. into which flows the
River Fallaise from the new crater. Vive
is in the new volcanic area, and our po-
sition was very dangerous. May "a we
went to Basse Pointe. On the 18th we
went to st. Pierre and returned to Basse
Point by way of Morne Rouge. Our party
was the first to make this trip. We fol-
lowed the old road to the point where the
volcanic tornado had swept across 1t, and
from there we followed down the track
of the tornado. The spectacle here was
truly appalling. L mere "cI0 uuHlDSIleSS
bodies on every side.
ION the night of the 26th occurred the
great explosion of the volcano. All that
day Mont Pelee had been Whiting masses
of yellow, muddy colored vapor. We now
know that this presages a serious explo-
sion. We heard ~sarful decorations dur
ing the 26th and huge columns of black
smoke, alive with lightning-like and ter
rifying flashes. rose from the crater. One
column. which rose to the height OF a mile
and half was lighted up like fire by the
fierce reflection from the incandescent
mass in the crater. The population of
Vive plantation became panic stricken at
the eruption and went to Acier. two
miles further away. Mr.. Jacoaci and 1
returned to Vive.
Terrifying and Grand. :
THE day had Ven one of terrifying
experiences and OF inconceivable gran
deur
Our party rested on the 9th. Mr..
Varian and Mr.. Jacoaci were not well and
was very shaky. The ash-laden water
caused us digestive troubles.
Another enormous explosion occurred
the morning of the 2Sth and Vive was de-
clared to be untenable. We all absn-
doned the plantation and taking furni-
ture, bedding and provisions. we went to
Acier. which from that day was our base.
1.-The 18th we spent at Morne Rouge
eye witnesses of the catas-
trophe of May 8. The 30th we tried to
ascend to the crater from the side along
the Gale Basse divide From the crest of
the divide we had a wonderful view into
the awful FaIlaise Valley. which was
tremendous seething gorge of terrible
activity. We were driven back
by severe thunder storm and nearly
lost each other in the dense volcanic
clouds. We planted record stake at
the highest point we reached. on which
we inscribed our names. While at Morne
Rouge we saw and Intercepted the man
who was rescued from the dungeon In
St. Pierre and who is the only real sur
vivor of the city.
"On the 31st We returned To Acier and
at $50 p. m. Professor Heilprin and Mr..
Ledbetter came down from their splendid
attempt to reach the rim of the crater.
E1aiiprfn aaid he and Mr.. Led