Sketch of the Life of Mr, David Douglas. 337 



cended the first ledge of the crater, and proceeded for tliree hun- 

 dred yards over a level space, composed of ashes, scorise, and 

 large stones that have been ejected from the mouth of the vol- 

 cano. The stream formerly described is the only fluid lava here. 

 Hence to arrive at the black ledge, is another descent of about 

 two hundred and forty feet, more diflScult to be passed than any 

 other, and this brings the traveller to the brink of the black 

 ledge, where a scene of all that is terrific to behold presents it- 

 self before his eyes. He sees a vast basin, recently in a state of 

 igneous fusion, now, in cooling, broken up, somewhat in the 

 manner of the great American lades, when the ice gives way, in 

 some places level in large sheets, elsewhere rolled in tremendous 

 masses, and twisted into a thousand different shapes, sometimes 

 even being filamentose, like fine hair, but all displaying the 

 mighty agency still existing in this immense depository of sub- 

 terraneous firei A most uncomfortable feeling is experienced 

 when then traveller becomes aware that the lava is hollow and 

 faithless beneath his tread. Of all sensations in nature, that pro- 

 duced by earthquakes or volcanic agency, is the most alarming : 

 the strongest nerves are unstrung, and the most courageous mind 

 feels weakened and unhinged, when exposed to either. How in- 

 significant are the operations of man's hands, taken in their vastest 

 extent, when compared with the magnitude of the works of God ! " 



" On the black ledge, the thermometer held in the hand, five 

 feet from the ground, indicated a temperature of 89°, and when 

 laid on the Lava, in the sun's rays, 115°, and 112° in the shade ; 

 on the bank of the burning Lake, at the south end, it rose to 

 124°. Over some fissures in the Lava, where the smoke was of 

 a greyish rather than a blue tinge, the thermometer stood at 94°. 

 I remained for upwards of two hours in the crater, suffering all 

 the time an intense headache, with my pulse strong and irregular, 

 and my tongue parched, together with other symptoms of fever. 

 The intense heat and sulphurous nature of the ground had corro- 

 ded my shoes so much, that they barely protected my feet from 

 the hot lava. I ascended out of the crater at the south-west or 

 small end, over two steep banks of scoriae, and two ledges of rock, 

 and returned by the west side to my tent, having thus walked 

 quite round this mighty crater." 



"Saturday, Jan. 25th. I slept soundly until 2, a.m., when, as 

 not a speck could be seen on the horizon, and the moon was un- 

 usually bright, I rose with the intention of making some lunar 



