The San Francisco call., 1908-07-26
BLOCKS THROWN
OlT BY ESLTPTION
OF ALG 50, 1907
s NILES EROE1
CRATER

the Caribbean sides OF the island. whsrO
about 1900 persons were killed on Aa-
gust 80. 1909. 10 beginning now to re-
cover from the disaster and nsw houses
are going up. The once beautiful
church has been sadly despoiied OF It's
furnishings since the great eruption
It was damaged very little ey the vol
cano. and It's rsvsred statue OF thu
Virgin. at whose feet the dying parish
priest. Pere Mary. was found after the
eruption cloud had passed was not IN
jured at all The authorities thinking
that Morns Rouge might not be hab-
table for q long time. removed the
statue. part OF the altar furniture and
the pewA When the poor people OK
the vicinity saw what had been donA
they simply looted the church OF what
ever remained that could be carried
away. even stripping the wooden panel
ing from the walls. Some were caught
IN the act OF using Jacks In the at
tempt to throw down the wooden pill
lars supporting the roof. The punish
ment Of these persons stopped ths
looting.
This morning at o'clock We LEFT The
charming home OF z. Beuzelin at Habi-
tation Capote TO establish our tents on
the summit plateau OF Pelee for the
completion Of my present studies OF the
volcano. Our arrangements reminded
Us Of tales OF travel In the far east.
FOR our effects were IN a heavy on cart.
such as II used for hauling sugar cane.
drawn by four oxen. and we were
seated in state on top OF the baggage
The driver kept up constant exercise
Of voice and whip TO induce motion in
the animals. but they evidently were
used 70 all this commotion and kept 70
the even tenor OF their way. The nrst
part OF our route lay through great
fields Of sugar eaneI then We threaded
q path among the little gardens ot
the hamlet OF Morns Balai. and above
this We travsrsed = forest OF tree ferns
and low trses-a wonderfully pfctur-
esous scene At Morne Balai we found
10 porters and two horses 70 take as
and our baggage onward from the spot
where the OF cart must stop AT $3.50
our cart stopped Sunder a great spread
ing tree fern about 1900 feet above
the sea. where our driver announced
that he could go no farther. Halt an
hour was consumed IN eating luncheon
and dividing the loads among the men.
and then We got under way again for
the second stage OF the journey. A
3.soo feet altitude the long divide which
We followed narrows 70 q sharp ridge
and msrges into the old cone with al
angle OF slope too steep for horseback
riding
Here we sent back our horses %
Capote and started On the last pull OF
1900 feet. The morning was cloudy
ana the trade wind was blowing with
sufncient rfgor for comfort. but not SO
strongly an to be disagreeableI An
hours steady work brought Us easily
70 the summit plateau at 1000 feet
above the sea. and we arrived at II
o'clock lust as the clouds lifted com
pletely. giving a perfect view from ths
northeast OF the new dome already de-
scribed.
within half an hour Of the time We
reached the summit without loads our
porters with their heavy charges ap-
peared over the edge OF the plateau and
reached the spot selected for the tents
The clear. dry. comparatively quiet
period OF two hours that ensued gave
Us the needed opportunity &c establish
our tents. anchor them firmly to great
rocks on account OF the nsrcs winds
that often sweep over the mountain ana
to dig bitches to carry OF the possibly
abundant rain water.
Here we shall stay In such comfort
a. may be possible under the circuna-
stances until the summit OF the dome
can be reached and the temperature o.
the fumaroles there can be taken with
an electric pyrometer as well as with
q mercury theruometsr. These temper
atures are al least SIS degrees cent?
grade. or oso degrees Fahrenheit. so
that there certainly Is considerable heat
still left near the top OF the conduit OF
Pelee. and the volcano can be classed
al still active. though not dangerous at
present
We leave Martinique on May % for
Barbadoes and Granada on our way 10
St Vincent. and my next letter VIII
describe the condition OF Affairs at the
other great center OF recent volcanic
activity In ehs Lesser Antilles.