344 STcetch of the Ijife of Mr, David Douglas, 



this huge dome, which is a gigantic mass of slag, scoriae, and 

 ashes. The barometer remained stationary during the whole pe- 

 riod spent on the summit, nor was there any change in the tem- 

 perature or in the dew point to-day. While passing, from 

 eight to nine o'clock, over the ledges of lava of a more 

 compact texture, with small but numerous vesicles, the tem- 

 perature of the air being 3 6°. -3 7°., and the sun shining 

 powerfully, a sweet musical sound was heard, proceeding from 

 the cracks and small fissures, like the faint sound of musical 

 glasses, but having at the same time a kind of hissing sound 

 like a swarm of bees. This may perhaps be owing to some great 

 internal fire escaping. Or is it rather attributable to the heated 

 air on the surface of the rocks, rarified by the sun's rays ? In a 

 lower region, this sound might be overlooked, and considered to 

 proceed by possibility, from the sweet harmony of insects, but in 

 this high attitude it is too powerful and remarkable, not to 

 attract attention. Though this day was more tranquil than the 

 12th, when I ascended Mouna Kuah, I could perceive a great 

 difi'erence in sound : I could not now hear half so far as I did on 

 that day, when the wind was blowing strong. This might be, 

 owing to this mountain being covered with snow, whereas on the 

 12th, Mouna Kuah was clear of it. Near the top I saw one small 

 bird, about the size of a common sparrow, of a light grey mixed 

 colour, with a faintly yellow beak — no other living creature met 

 my view above the woody region. This little creature, which 

 was perched on a block of lava, was so tame as to permic me to 

 catch it with my hand, when I instantly restored it its liberty. I 

 also saw a dead hawk in one of the caves. On the east side of 

 the black ledge of the Great Terminal Crater, is a small conical 

 funnel of scoriae, the only vent-hole of that substance, that I 

 observed in the Crater. This mountain appears to be difi'erently 

 formed from Mouna Kuah, it seems to be an endless number of 

 layers of lava, from dififerent overflowings of the great crater. 

 In the deep caves at Kapupala, two thousand feet above the level 

 of the sea, the several strata are well defined, and may be accu- 

 rately traced, varying in thickness with the intensity^of the action, 

 and of the discharge that has taken place. Between many of 

 these strata are layers of earth, containing vegetable substances, 

 some from two feet to two feet seven inches in thickness, which 

 bespeak a long state of repose between the periods of activity in 

 the volcano. It is worthy of notice, that the thickest strata are 



