[Note: this transcription was produced by an automatic OCR engine]

AMBRYM 2 2 I

After a short, steep climb, I reached the ridge,
sharp as a knife, that joins the two craters, and following
it, I suddenly found myself on the brink of the crater,
from which I could overlook the great bowl, 800 metres
wide. The inside walls fell vertically to the bottom,
an uncanny, spongyalooking mass of brownish lava,
torn, and foaming, and smoking in white or yellowish
clouds. The opposite side rose much higher, and
the white cloud I had seen from below floated on top.
There was a smaller crater, the real opening, and
through a gap in it I had a glimpse inside, but failed to
see much because of the smoke. The general view
was most imposing, the steep, naked walls, the wild
confusion in the crater, the red and yellow precipitates
here and there, the vicious-looking smoke from the
slits, the steam that floated over the opening, swayed
mysteriously by an invisible force, the compactness
of the whole picture, in the gigantic frame of the
outer walls. There was no need of the oppressive
odour, the dull roaring and thundering and hissing,
to call up a degree of reverent admiration, even fear,
and it required an effort of will to stay and grow used
to the tremendous sight. The first sensation on seeing
the crater is certainly terror, then curiosity awakens, and
one looks and wonders; yet the sight never becomes
familiar, and never loses its threatening aspect. Still,
the inner crater may be a disappointment. From a
distance, we see the great manifestations, the volcano
in action, when its giant forces are in play and it looks
grand and monumental. From near by, we see it in
repose, and the crater looks quite insignificant. Instead