This island is entirely composed of volcanic matter, in some places
alternating with submarine productions. The principal mountain is situated
at the western end of the island; it is an exhausted volcano, called in
books of navigation, charts, &c., Mount Misery. The summit of this mountain
is 3,711 feet above the sea; it appears to consist of large masses of
volcanic rocks, roasted stones, cinders, pumice, and iron-clay. The whole
extent of land, to the sea-shore on either side, may be considered as the
base of this mountain, as it rises with a pretty steep ascent towards it;
but from the part which is generally considered the foot of the mountain,
it takes a sudden rise of an average angle of about 50 degrees. To the
east, another chain of mountains runs, of a similar formation, though of
inferior height. On the summits of these there are no remains that indicate
their having ever possessed a crater: so that whether any of them have
originally been volcanoes, or whether they have been formed by an
accumulation of matter thrown out of Mount Misery, it is difficult to
decide. That the low lands have been thrown from the mouth of the volcano
is evident, from the regular strata of volcanic substances of which they
consist; these too are interspersed with masses of volcanic rock, and other
stones, some of the lesser ones entirely roasted through, and some of the
larger ones to certain depths from their surfaces. Masses, also, of
iron-clay, enclosing various pebbles, which have been burnt into a kind of
red brick, are abundantly found in many places. There is scarcely any thing
that can be called a path, or even a track, to the mouth of the crater of
Mount Misery; indeed, there are but few whose curiosity is sufficiently
strong to induce them to undertake this expedition. The common course for
those who do, is to take a negro man as a guide, with a cutlass, or large
knife, to clear away the underwood, and form a kind of path as he goes on.
The ascent is very irregular, in some places being gentle, in others almost
perpendicular; in which case the hands are obliged to assist the operations
of the feet. In wet weather, the ascent of this mountain is extremely
laborious, as a great part of it consists of clay, which then becomes so
slippery as to render the getting up almost impracticable. About half-way
up on the south side, and in a very pretty, romantic situation, there is a
natural spring of remarkably cool water. On the north side, at about the
same height, there is a waterfall, which, though small and insignificant in
itself, has a pleasing appearance, as it rushes over the rocks, and through
the trees and shrubs. This mountain is thickly clothed with wood, which in
many places not only excludes the rays of the sun, but produces a sombre,
gloomy appearance; this, with the occasional plaintive coo of the mountain
dove, (the only sound heard at this height,) creates in the mind sensations
of pleasing melancholy. In some parts an open space suddenly appears, from
whence the whole country below bursts unexpectedly upon the view, which
has, as may be supposed, an extremely fine effect. The thermometer, on the
top of the mountain when the writer visited it, stood at 65, being a
difference of 15 degrees from the low lands, where it stood at 80 degrees.
The descent into the crater on the north and east sides is perfectly
perpendicular; on the south and west sides, it slopes at an average angle
of not more than 18 or 20 degrees from the perpendicular; consequently,
persons descending are often obliged to let themselves down by clinging to
projecting corners of rocks, or the branches and roots of shrubs, which
grow all the way down; nor is this mode of travelling particularly safe,
for should any of these give way, the consequence would probably be highly
dangerous. The bottom of the crater, which, as nearly as could be
estimated, is about 2,500 feet below the summit of the mountain, and
contains about forty-five or fifty acres, may be said to be divided into
three parts: the lowest side (to the south) consists of a large pond or
lake, formed entirely by the rain-water collected from the sides of the
crater--accordingly its extent is greater or less, as the season is wet or
dry; the centre part is covered with small ferns, palms, and shrubs, and
some curious species of moss; the upper part, to the north, is that which
is called the Soufriere. The ground here consists of large beds of
pipe-clay, in some places perfectly white, in others of a bluish or black
colour, from the presence of iron pyrites. These are intermixed with masses
and irregular beds of gray cinders and score, pumice, various kinds of
lava, lithomarge, and fuller's earth. Amidst these beds of clay there are
several hot springs, small, but boiling with much violence, and emitting
large quantities of steam. A rumbling noise is heard under the whole of
this part of the crater. The hot springs are not stationary, but suddenly
disappear, and burst up in another place. The ground in many parts is too
hot to be walked upon: a great quantity of sulphuretted hydrogen gas is
likewise emitted, which is exceedingly disagreeable to the smell; and
occasionally such a volume of it arises, as is almost suffocating, and
resembles much the smell of rotten eggs. The watches of the writer and his
companion during his visit, and every article of gold or silver about their
persons, were in a few moments turned perfectly black, from the effect of
this gas.
_Brande's Journal._
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