The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-04-19

more numerous than In June These gen.
orally are taken to be fragments Of lava
which have reached the air in 4 fluid or
the cone is composed OF such lava. Not
partly fluid condition. and the Increase in
number over the earlier ~eruptiOns. which
nav however. be more appaIent than real.
indicates an increase OF tenn .erature or a
diminution. IL it has occurred. would of it.
self raise the temperature in the volcano
Furthermore. this increase in the number
Of fluid OF Dasty masses reaching the sur
face would be an argumen for the correct
ness OF the theory that the great spine Of
even vet. however. has there been any
stream of molten lava flowing down the
sides of Mont Pelee during this series Of
eruptions.
Investigation Of the material filling the
~orge of the Riviere Blanche confirms The
idea that the volcanic dust. sand and gravel
which form by far the largest proportion
thereof. issued from the cone in a dry. or
comparatively dry. condition. a theory that
is further Endorsed by studies at st. Vincent
The steam and hot air ~permeating the
mass OF dust. sand and gravel as II came
from the cone caused the whole mass to
act like a fluid and flow through the gorge
in a torrent.
The solid particles were incandescent, and
the steam rose in vast clouds as 1t was
liberated from the flowing mass. so that the
comparison will a stream of actual lava
given by many observers is not surprising.
The flowing mass carried along with it
from the crater many large blocks of an
cient lava. and the liberated steam carried
away into the atmosphere great quantities
Of the finest dust.
The eruption OF January .. which
frightened the tourists on the royal mail
steamer Esk. and which was extensively
announced in the United States and else
where. was one of these dust clouds rolling
dOurn the blanche inst like scores or hum
dreds Of Others. and did not merit particular
mention.
DUST FLOWS DOWN
THE RIVIERE BLANCHE.
These dust flows down the Riviere
Blanche must not be COMPOUNDED with the
mud flows down the same canyon.
The mud flow which overwhelmed the
Usine Guerin seems TO have been caused by
the waters OF the Etang Sec breaking
through the temporary dam formed by new
ash. but succeeding ones have been caused
by the rain-soaked dust and ash on the
inner slopes Of the great crater and the
remainder OF the drainage basin OF the
Blanche descending in terrible avalanches.
The dry mud flows are hard and compact,
while the dust flows are so soft and loose
that one sinks in them to the knees.
The mud flows are black or nearly 30,
while the dust flows are very light gray in
color and have a caIcined appearance.
A considerable portion of the great area
' which was so injured by the accumulation
of ash as 10 be included within what was
called the zone of devastation" Is now
largely green again through returning veg
citation.
The coating of ash has been washed of by
the copious rains. giving grass, herbs. plan
tain a chance to sprout again from the old
roots. Trees and tree ferns nave put out
new fronds. branches and leaves.
Even the bluffs surrounding ST. Pierre are
again covered with Verdure.
The area covered within the zone of an