have if they were on their way to some theatrical
show.
As the gfovernor had now finished his duties as
inspector, he proposed that we try to reach the top
of the volcano! As we looked up toward its high,
dark summit, then hut partially lighted by the fading
sunset, the thought of such a dangerous undertaking
was enough to make one shudder, and, indeed, even
while we were sitting on the broad veranda, and
discussing the dangers we must incur on the morrow,
there was a sudden jar—everybody darted instantly
down the steps—it was an earthquake, and no one
knew that a shock might not come the next instant
so severe as to lay the whole house in ruins. These
frightful phenomena occur here, on an average, once
a month, but, of course, no one can tell what moment
they may occur or what destruction they may cause.
Such is the unceasing solicitude that all the inhabitants
of these beautiful islands have to suffer. The
governor had ascended fifteen volcanoes on Java,
some of them with the famous Dr. Junghuhn, and
such a slight earthquake could not shake his decision.
But our party had to be made up anew. I promised
the governor he should not go alone, though I could
not anticipate the ascent without some solicitude.
The captain of our yacht then volunteered, also a
lieutenant, and finally, as no other shock disturbed us,
the excursion became as popular as before, and a
number asked permission “ to go with His Excellency,”
a favor the governor was quite ready to grant,
though I noticed a good-natured smile on his countenance
to see such devotion and such bravery.
There was only one man, a native, who had ever
been to the top and “knew the way,” though from a
distance one part of the mountain seemed as dangerous
as another. That man was engaged as our
“ guide,” and also some ten others whose duty it was
to carry a good supply of water in long bamboos.
Early next morning the coolies were ready, but only
the four of us before mentioned appeared at the appointed
hour; the daring of the others had evidently
been dispelled by portentous dreams. From the
western end of the village we crossed “the Strait of
the Sun ” to the foot of the mountain. Some coolies
had preceded us, and cleared away a path up the
steep acclivity; but soon our only road was the narrow
bands where large masses of rocks and sand,
which had been loosened from some place high up the
mountain, and shot down in a series of small landslides,
ploughing up the low shrubbery in their thun-
dering descent. As long as we climbed up among the
small trees, although it was difficult and tiring, it was
not particularly dangerous until we came out on the
naked sides of the mountain, for this great elevation
is not covered with vegetation more than two-thirds
of the distance from its base to its summit. This lack
of vegetation is caused by the frequent and wide landslides
and by the great quantity of sulphur brought up
to its top by sublimation and washed down its sides
by the heavy rains. Here we were obliged to crawl
up on all fours among small, rough blocks of porous
lava, and all spread out until our party formed a
horizontal line on the mountain-side, so that when
one loosened several rocks, as constantly happened,