Stewards Account. 43 



Down this I proceeded, though not without danger, it being in most places perpendicular, and nearly- 

 so where I descended. Many of the stones also on which it was necessarj^ to step were loose- • • • I had 

 now reached the ancient bed of the volcano, having, as I supposed, descended six hundred feet. 

 The surface of the lava was smooth though not level, sometimes rising in heaps like cocks of hay, 

 and broken by innumerable fissures crossing each other in various directions. 



This lava was of a deep black color, exceedingly porous, and as light as a pumice stone. 

 The steam was constantly issuing from the crevices, and was so hot that I could not hold my hand 

 in it for a moment. On this bed of lava I walked eight or ten rods towards the centre of the crater, 

 when I came to another descent of two or three hundred feet, the volcano having sunk thus far below 

 its ancient bed. The lower bed appeared much like the one on which I stood, but from various parts 

 of it not only smoke, but flames of fire were issuing. The appearance of these small craters where 

 the fire was bursting out, attended with a horrid noise, was indeed awfully grand, but I was dis- 

 appointed in not finding the lower bed a mass of liquid fire. About a year since when several of our 

 brethren were making the tour of this island, this lower bed of lava was in a liquid state. The sur- 

 face has now become hard, and I have no doubt would have supported my weight could I have 

 descended to it. This I wished to do, but I looked in vain for a place where I might descend, the 



sides being in most places shelving over or perpendicular I proceeded along to the base of the 



sulphur mountain to collect specimens to carry home. It was in those places from which the smoke 

 was issuing that I found the sulphur most pure, and formed into beautiful crystals. 



Mr. Ellis also revisited the crater this year and noticed the greatly decreased 

 activity. The next year, July 28, 1825, Kilauea was visited by the Rev. C. S. Stewart, 

 who described its appearance as follows : 



About midway from the top a ledge of lava, in some places only a few feet, in others many 

 rods wide, extends entirely round, at least so far astan examination has been made, forming a kind 

 of gallery to which you can descend in two or three places, and walk as? far as the smoke settling at 

 the south end will permit The gulf below contains probably not less than sixty, — fifty-six have 



been counted, — smaller conical craters, many of which are in constant action. The tops 

 1825 and sides of two or three of the.se are covered with sulphur of mingled shades of yellow 



and green. With this exception, the ledge and everything below it are of a dismal black. 

 The upper cliffs on the northern and western sides are perfectly perpendicular, and of a red color, 

 everywhere exhibiting the seared marks of former powerful ignition. Those on the eastern side are 

 less precipitous, and consist of entire banks of sulphur of a delicate and beautiful yellow. The south 

 end is wholly obscured by smoke which fills that part of the crater and spreads widely over the sur- 

 rounding horizon Two or three of the smaller craters nearest to us were in full action, every 



moment casting out stones, ashes and lava, with heavy detonations, while the irritated flames accom- 

 panying them glared widely over the surrounding obscurity The great seat of action, however, 



seemed to be at the southwestern end Rivers of fire were seen rolling in splendid corruscations 



among the laboring craters, and on one side a whole lake whose surface constantly flashed and sparkled 



with the agitation of contending currents At an inconsiderable distance from us was one of the 



largest of the conical craters whose laborious action had so impressed us during the night. On reach- 

 ing its base we judged it to be one hundred and fifty feet high — a huge irregularly shapen, inverted 

 funnel of lava, covered with clefts, orifices and tunnels from which bodies of steam escaped with 

 deafening explosion, while pale flames, ashes, stones and lava were propelled with equal force and 

 noise from its ragged and yawning mouth. • • ■ Leaving the sulphur banks on the eastern side behind 

 us we dire(5led our course along the northern part to the western cliffs. As we advanced, these 

 became more and more perpendicular, till they presented nothing but the bare and upright face of 

 an immense wall, from eight to ten hundred feet high, on whose surface huge stones and rocks 



L42.] 



