Tiny knots on distant cliff-tops, when looked at through the glass, are found to be single trees of enormous height and breadth.

Gullies hundreds of feet in depth, rushing downwards toward the sea, represent the rush of the torrents which have helped, through thousands of rainy seasons, to scoop them out and down.
But all this grandeur and richness culminates, toward the southern end, in one great crater-peak 5000 feet in height, at the foot of which lies the Port of Basse Terre, or Bourg St.Francois.
We never were so fortunate as to see the Souffriere entirely free from cloud.

The lower, wider, and more ancient crater was generally clear: but out of the midst of it rose a second cone buried in darkness and mist.

Once only we caught sight of part of its lip, and the sight was one not to be forgotten.
The sun was rising behind the hills.

The purple mountain was backed by clear blue sky.