CHARLES WILKES. 359 



of a mile, we passed on our right a crater which 

 bore unmistakable signs of having long since 

 become extinct: it was everywhere covered with 

 shrubbery and trees of considerable dimensions. 

 Another walk of about fifteen minutes brought us 

 to what is called the * Ledge.' It was not until 

 then that we formed an adequate idea of the magni- 

 tude and sublimity of this wonderful crater. On 

 whichsoever side we cast our eyes, we beheld a wall 

 ofsolid lava of a thousand feet or more in altitude, 

 and from six to seven miles in circumference. This 

 ledge surrounds the crater, thus forming a kind of 

 natural gallery several hundred yards in width. 

 The surface is but little broken, and presents a uni- 

 form appearance, being of a dark brown or iron 

 color/' 



