“From the St. Vincents Gazette”

Date

8-20-1812

Newspaper

Augusta Herald

Page and Column

Page 4, Column 1,2,3

Newspaper Location

Augusta, Georgia

Serial Number

776

Abstract

Long article on the eruption of the Sourfrier volcano on St. Vincents on April 30, 1812

Transcript

From the St. Vincents Gazette. Description of the Eruption of the Souffier Mountain on Thursday Night the 30th April, 1812, in the Island of St. Vincents. THE SOUFRIERE MOUNTAIN, the most notherly of The Lofty Chain Running through the center of the Island and the highest of the whole as computed by the most accurate survey that has yet been taken, had for some time past indicated much disquietude; and from the extraordinary frequency and violence of Earthquakes, which are calculated to have exceeded two hundred within the last year, portended some great movement or eruption. The apprehension however was not so immediate, as to restrain curiosity, or prevent repeated visits to the crater, which of late had been more numerous, than at any former period, even up to Sunday last the 26th of April; when some gentlemen ascended it, and remained there for some time. Nothing unusual was then remarked, or any external difference observed, except, rather a stronger emission of smoke from the interstices of the Conical Hill, at the bottom of the crater.-To those who have not visited this romantic and wonderful spot, a slight description of it, as it lately stood, is previously necessary and indispensable to forming any conception of it and to the better understanding the account which follows-for no one living can expect to see it again in the perfection and beauty in which it was on Sunday the 26th instant. About 2000 feet from the level of the sea, (calculating from conjecture) on the South side of the mountain, and rather more than two thirds of its height, opens an immense circular chasm, somewhat exceeding half a mile in diameter, and between 3 and 600 feet in depth exactly in the center of this capracious Bowl, rose a conical hill about 230 or 300 feet in height and about 200 in diameter, richly covered and variegated with shrubs, brushwood and vines about half way up, and for the remainder, powdered over with virgin sulphur to the top.-From the fissures in the cone and interstices of th rocks, a thin white smoke was constantly emitted occasionally tinged with a slight bluish flame-The precipitous sides of this magnificent Amphitheatre, were fringed with various ever greens, and aromatic shrubs, flowers, and many alpine plants. On the north sides of the Base of the cone, were two pieces of water one perfectfully pure and tasteless; the other strongly impregnated with sulphur and alum.-This lonely and beautiful spot was rendered more enchanting by the singularly melodious notes of a bird, an inhabitant of these upper solitudes and altogether unknown in the other parts of the Island hence fancifully called or supposed to be invisible though it has certainly been seen and in a species of the Merle. A century has now elapsed since the last convulsion of the mountain, or since any other elements had disturbed the serenity of this wilderness, (than those which are common to the Tropical tempest.) It apparently slumbered in primeval solitude and tranquility; and from the luxuriant vegetation and growth of the forest which covered its sides from the base, nearly to the summit, seemed to cisountenance the fact, and falsify the records of the ancient volcano. Such was the majestic and peaceful Souffrier on April the 27th, but we trod on "Igem repostium cinderi delosso and our imaginary safety was soon to be confounded by the suddenness of danger and devastation; for just as the plantation bells rang twelve, at noon on Monday, the 27th, an abrupt and dreadful crash from the mountain with severe concussions of the earth, and tremulous noise in the air alarmed all around it. The resurrection of this fiery furnace was proclaimed in a moment by a vas column of thick, black, ropey smoke, like that of an immense glass house bursting forth at once, and mountain to the sky, showering down sand with gritty calcined particles of earth, & lavilla mixed on all below. This driven before the wind towards Willibou and Morne Rende, darkened the air like a cataract of rain, and covered the ridges, woods and cane pieces with light grey colored ashes, resembling snow when a little soiled by dust. As the eruption increased this continual shower expanded a destroying every appearance of vegetation. At night a very considerable degree of ignition was observed on the lips of the crater, but it is not asserted, that there was as yet any visible ascension of flame. The same awful scene presented itself on Tuesday-the fall of favilla and calcined pebbels still increasing and the compact pitchy column from the crater, rising perpendicularly to an immense height with a noise at intervals like the muttering of distant thunder. On Wednesday the 29th, all these menacing systems of horror and combustion still gathered more thick and terrific for miles around the dismal and half obscured mountain. The prodigious column shot up with quicker motion, dilating as it rose, like a Ballon-The sun appeared in total eclipse, and shed meridian twilight over us, that aggravated the wintry gloom of the scene now completely powdered over with falling particles. It was evident the crisis was not yet come; that the burning fluid was strugling for a vent, and labouring to throw off the superincumbent strata and obstructions which suppressed the ignivomous torrent. At night it was manifest that it had greatly disengaged itself from its burthen, by the appearance of fire shaking now and then above the mouth of the crater. On Thursday the memorable thirtieth of April, the reflection of the rising Sun of this Majestic body ofoffending vapour, was sublime beyond imagination-any comparison of the Glaciers, of the Andes, or Cordilleras with it can but feebly convoy an idea of the fleecy whiteness and brilliancy of this awful column, of intermingled and wreathed smoke and clouds.-It afterwards assumed a more sulphureous cast ,like what we call thunder clouds and in the course of the day a ferruginous and sanguine appearance, with much livelier action in the ascent, and a more extensive dialation, as if almost freed from every obstruction. In the afternoon the noise was incessant and resembled the approach of thunder still nearer and nearer, with a vibration that affected the feeling as much as the hearing. As yet there was no convulsive motion, or sensible Earthquake.-Terror and consternation now seized all beholders. The Chatribs settled at Morne Ronde at the foot of the Souffrier, abandoned their Houses, with their live stock and every thing they possessed, and fled precipitately towards Town. The Negroes became confused forsook their work, looked up to the mountain and as it shook, trembled, with the dread of what they could neither understand or describe The birds fell to the ground overpowered with showers of favilla unable to keep themselves on the wing-The cattle were starving for want of food, as not a blade of grass or a leaf was to be found-The sea was much disclored, but in no wise uncommonly agitated it is remarkable, that throughout the whole of this violent disturbance of the Earth it continued quite passive, and did not at any time sympathize the agitation of the land-about 4 o'clock p. m. the noise became more alarming, and just before Sun set the clouds reflected a bright copper colour, suffused with fire. Scarcely had the day closed, when the flame burst at length pyramidally from the crater; through the mass of smoke; the rolling of the thunder became more awful and deafening. Electric flashes quickly succeeded, attended with loud claps and now indeed the hurly burly began-Those only who have witnessed such a sight, call form any idea of the magnificence and variety of the lightning and Electric flashes; some forked zig-zig playing across the perpendicular column from the crater-others shooting upwards from the mouth like rockets of the most dazzling luster-others like shells with their trailing fuzes flying in different Parabolas, with the most vivid scintillations from the dark sanguine column which now seemed inflexible, and immoveable by the wind. Shortly after 7 P.M. the mighty Caldron was seen to simmer and the eruption of lava to break out on the N. W. side. This immediately after boiling over the orifice and flowing a short ways was opposed by the activity of a higher point of land over which it was impelled by the immense side of liquefied fire that drove it on, forming the figure V in grand illumination. Sometimes, when the eruption slackened, or was insufficient to urge it over the obstructing bill, it recoiled back, like a refluent billow from the rock, and then again rushed forward impelled by fresh supplies and sealing every obstacle carrying rocks and woods together in its course down the slope of the mountain, until it precipitated itself down some vast revine concealed from our sight by the intervening ridges of Morne Ronde. Vast globular bodies of fire were seen projected from the fiery furnance, and bursting, fell back into it or over it on the surrounding bushes which were instantly set inf flames.-About four hours from the lava boiling over the crater, it reached the sea, as we could observe from the reflection of the fire and the electric flashes attending it-About half past one another stream of lava was seen descending to the eastward towards Rabacca-The thundering noise of the mountain and the vibration of sound that had been so formidable hitherto, now mingled with the sudden monotonous roar of the rolling lava, and became so terrible that dismay was almost turned into despair. At this time the first earthquake was left-this was followed by showers of cinders, that fell with the hissing noise of hail during two hours-At three o'clock a rolling on the roofs of the houses indicated a fall of stones, which soon thickened, and at length descended I the rain of intermingled fire, and threatened at once the fate of Pompeia, or Herculanuem. The cracking and coruscations from the crater at this period exceeded all that had yet passed.-The eyes were stuck with momentary blindness and the ears stunned with the glomeration of sounds-People sought shelter in cellars, under rocks or any where, for every where was nearly the same, and the miserable Negroes flying from their huts were knocked down, or wounded, many killed in the open air-several houses were set on fire. The Estates situated in the immediate vicinity seemed doomed to destruction; had the stones that fell been proportionally heavy to their size, not a living creature could have escaped without death-these having undergone a thorough fusion, were divested of their natural gravity, and fell almost as light as pumice, though in some places as large as a man's head this dreadful rain of stones and fire lasted upwards of an hour, and was again succeeded by cinders from three till six o'clock in the morning. Earthquake following Earthquake almost momentary, or rather the whole of this part of the Island was in a state of continual oscillation, not agitated by shocks, vertical or horizontal, but undulated like water shaken in a bowl.

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