The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-05
UNDOING THE VOLCANOES WORK
NATURE REPAIRING THE HARM
WROUGHT ON ST. VINCENT.
Vast Quantities Of the Volcanic Dust
Washed Away by Heavy Tropical Rains
Changes in the Topography Of the
Island Described In an O6icial report.

vSt QtRntttIo9 ~ INC VOLCANIC uubt
Washed Away by Heavy Tropical Rains
changes in the Topography Of the
Island Described In an Omcial Report.
The scientific men sent out by the Royal
Society Of England to study the volcanic
eruptions In the West Indies have made
their report. It contains a very interesting
statement Of the work the torrential rains
are doing In removing the deep layers OF
volcanic dust under which large part OF
the surface OF northern St. Vincent was
buried by the ebullitions from the Soufriere
volcano.
South Of the volcano were q number OF
deep valleys extending nearly or quite
across the island from east to west and
clothed before the eruption with the most
luxuriant tropical vegetation. The great
black clouds discharged from Soufriere
and heavily laden with incandescent dust
all these valleys with outpourings to .
depth In some places a. great AZ 200 feet.
Very little of the mass was deposited on
the ridges between the valleys. for the force
with which it was hurled was too great to
permit II TO lodge on the ridges The
hollows received most OF the volcanic
sand. which lay In rolling masses like drifted
snow. This was the first geographical
alteration which the outburst made In the
appearance Of that region.
Six weeks later another change had taken
place and the appearance Of the valleys
was again strangely altered. The wet season
had set in and as much as Ave inches OF
rain were recorded in q single day.
The torrents pouring down the great hill
slopes were playing havoc with the loose
material that had filled the valleys; The
surface was everywhere scared with ram
burrows that joined together, in a sort OF
feather pattern. into larger streams which
cut etill deeper channels into the soft ma
terial. These channels also united. forming
riyers to take the place OF the old ones
which had been buried out OF sight IN
some places they re-eIcayated the oid
channels, while In other they cut new and
quite independent ones:
The amount OF denudation accomplished
In 4 few weeks would seem incredible to one
accustomed to the leisurely rate OF change
in temperate climates The The we o'n. eS,
eand nearly 90 feet deep and left In
places as many as five OF six terraces to
mark the successive stages OF its exca-
walton.
The torrents Of water after digging q
channel would undermine the steep banks
on either side, starting landslides OF hot
dust which fell into the river. causing ex-
plosions OF steam which threw showers
Of hot mud 10 height Of perhaps $50 feet,
while great clouds Of steam rose 70 ne,gntt
away to the sea by the trade Winds
There was another interesting phenome-
non. Sometimes the fallen dust damned
the streams, and when the water at last
overcame the obstruction II descended no
longer as water but as a gush Of boiling
hot mud which made the river beds impass.
able. and built up alluvih layers Of mud
spreading out nkefan (aluvial fans) at the
mouths OF the rivers.
The explorers brought home many photo
graphs showing the progress Of these inter
esting phenomena One OF them depicts
the rolling and rounded character OF the sur
face Of the deposits and the many burrows
and gullies that had already BEEN cut BY the
| ehows the terraces OF hot sand marking the
| level TO which the valley had been hlled
| by the er,iptions and some OF the successive
stages OF It's reexcavation. Weeks after
the eruptions the sand was still % bot that
eteam was produced wherever water came
| into contact with IL
Other pictures show the alluvial fans
| formed at the mouths Of the rivers, and
new beaches along the sea that had been
HssSed from r. the olias or carried down By
Thus the forces Of nature are rapidly
changing the new Topography that was In.
Inc 81 ns dss S.as SssSsd
| down 70 the So
| II the two West Indies volcanoes which
| have done % much damage return soon TO
their former quiesoent state II will not Do
many years before Ill the land surface
| tbey % completely desolated will be COW
cred again With tropical verdure: and the
\ proSent desert-uke aspect will be wholly
isplacsd * myrisd iosms q yseetsbls
ths G1Ffacs which vsv produced during
/ 3 lew torTihlo h0tlrs