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.
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