May not the truth be, that the Souffriere had once a lofty cone, which was blasted away in 1718, leaving the present crater-ring of cliffs and peaks; and that thus may be explained the discrepancies in the accounts of its height, which Mr.Scrope gives as 4940 feet, and Humboldt and Dr.Davy at 3000, a measurement which seems to me to be more probably correct?
The mountain is said to have been slightly active in 1785.

In 1812 its old crater had been for some years (and is now) a deep blue lake, with walls of rock around 800 feet in height, reminding one traveller of the Lake of Albano.

{44} But for twelve months it had given warning, by frequent earthquake shocks, that it had its part to play in the great subterranean battle between rock and steam; and on the 27th of April 1812 the battle began.
A negro boy--he is said to be still alive in St.Vincent--was herding cattle on the mountain-side.

A stone fell near him; and then another.

He fancied that other boys were pelting him from the cliffs above, and began throwing stones in return.