the fiery activity, and
whether in one part of the continent or another, the volcanic action
was incessant, while the invariable sequence was the subsidence and
total disappearance of the land, just as in the case of Krakatoa in
1883.

So closely analogous was the eruption of Mount Pelee, which caused the
destruction of St. Pierre, the capital of Martinique, about two years
ago, to the whole series of volcanic catastrophes on the continent of
Lemuria, that the description of the former given by some of the
survivors may be of interest. "An immense black cloud had suddenly
burst forth from the crater of Mont Pelee and rushed with terrific
velocity upon the city, destroying everything--inhabitants, houses and
vegetation alike--that it found in its path. In two or three minutes
it passed over, and the city was a blazing pyre of ruins. In both
islands [Martinique and St. Vincent] the eruptions were characterised
by the sudden discharge of immense quantities of red-hot dust, mixed
with steam, which flowed down the steep hillsides with an
ever-increasing velocity. In St. Vincent this had filled many valleys
to a depth of between 100 feet and 200 feet, and months after the
eruptions was still very hot, and the heavy rains which then fell
thereon caused enormous explosions, producing clouds of steam and dust
that shot upwards to a height of from 1500 feet to 2000 feet, and
filled the rivers with black boiling mud." Captain Freeman, of the
"Roddam," then described "a thrilling experience which he and his
party had at Martinique. One night, when they were lying at anchor in
a little sloop about a mile from St. Pierre, the mountain exploded in
a way that was apparently an exact repetition of the original
eruption. It was not entirely without warning; hence they were enabled
to sail at once a mile or two further away, and thus probably saved
their lives. In the darkness they saw the summit glow with a bright
red light; then soon, with loud detonations, great red-hot stones were
projected into the air and rolled down the slopes. A few minutes later
a prolonged rumbling noise was heard, and in an instant was followed
by a red-hot avalanche of dust, which rushed out of the crater and
rolled down the side with a terrific speed, which they estimated at
about 100 miles an hour, with a temperature of 1000 deg. centigrade. As
to the probable explanation of these phenomena, no lava, he said, had
been seen to flow from either of the volcan