rown 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