60 M. Karsten's Observations and Experiments on 



by which it was encircled, thickly covered with trees and shrub- 

 bery, exhibited an equally bright and lively green. 



On gaining the top of the first precipice, the distant view of 

 the crater and the surrounding scenery was so strikingly beauti- 

 ful, that, though most of the gentlemen had preceded me, I 

 stopped long enough to secure the outlines of a drawing. We 

 walked rapidly during the morning, and by 12 o'clock reached 

 the houses built for our accommodation half way between the 

 harbour and volcano. We determined to spend the night at 

 this place. After dinner, a native dance was performed, simi- 

 lar to that witnessed on our way up the mountain on Monday — 

 after which we retired early to rest — set off before day-liglit the 

 next morning, and reached the Bay in safety, at 1 o'clock on 

 Friday. 



Island of Ohau, Sandwich Islands, \ 

 August 26, 1 825. i 



Observations and Experiments on the different hinds of' Coal. 

 By M. Karsten. Continued from p. 296. of preceding 

 volume. 



2. Chemical Examination of Mineral Combustibles. 



X HE chemical analysis of coal, in the strict sense of the term, 

 can only be guessed with some degree of probability, from the 

 results of the process of carbonization, by comparing the weight 

 and qualities of each of the cokes obtained, with the weight and 

 condition of other cokes coming from coals, whose composition 

 has been already determined by chemical analysis. In such a 

 case as this, the composition of a coal might be ascertained in a 

 pretty satisfactory way from the results of its carbonization. 



Such is the principal idea which has directed M. Karsten's 

 researches. On the one hand, the learned author was convin- 

 ced of this truth, that, in order to judge of the peculiar nature 

 of coals, and to ascertain the cause of the different manners in 

 which, not only brown coals and black coals, but, also, the 

 different varieties of coal, comport themselves, it was necessary 

 to begin with knowing the proportions of carbon, hydrogen, 

 oxygen and azote, which occur in these combustibles. On the 



