Dr. Fricdldndcr's Ascent of Maioia Loa. 



19- 



(lehua), cyatliodfs (puakeawe), vacci>iiuiit (ohelo), are the most striking plants of that zone. We 

 left onr horses at a height of about 7500 feet, where they were able to get some wet grass, from which 

 point we walked ; but now after having explored the way, Mr. Gasper thinks he could take parties 

 up to the summit entirely on honseback. 



The kind of mist between fog and rain, so well known to many visitors to Kilauea, prevented 

 us from going farther than about 8500 feet the first day. We pitched our tent; made up a large fire 

 from dry lehua wood, and greatly enjoyed the contents of a number of tins of provisions. Towards 

 sunset it cleared up, when a fine view of Hualalai and the green gentle slope below our place as far 

 as the sea was afforded us. 



Slowly the clouds dissolved also on the other side, except a large cumulus of the well-known 

 shape of the Italian pine ; a large mass of vapor floating to an enormous height and connected with 

 the mountain, or with the crater, only by a narrow trunk of dim bluish smoke. The afternoon sun 



Fig. 120. ERUPTION OF MOKUAWEOVVEO, 1896. DR. FRIEI)I,ANDER. 



illuminated the cloud : its snowy white slowly turned yellowish, then, towards sunset crimson, and 

 .soon the volcanic glare became visible ; first the narrow pillar, then the whole cloud formation becom- 

 ing aglow from the incandescent matter beneath. A cool wind blew over the almost barren land and 

 its scanty shrubs. We crept into our tent after having impressed our memory with that wonderful 

 and highly characteristic sight of Mokuaweoweo's threatening volcano cloud in the clear moonlight. 

 The next morning we started early. Tent, photo outfit, water and provisions were carried 

 on a pack mule, the only animal we took above the forest limit and to within a short distance of the 



summit In consequence of the flatness of the top of Mauna Loa you never see the summit 



until you are right there. Invariably the upper horizon is limited by a lava rim that looks exactly 

 as if it must be the edge of the crater: after you reach that rim, another hill becomes visible, 

 and when you reach it there is another still. More than ten times one or another was convinced that 

 it was the rim of Mokuaweoweo ; but my aneroid contradicted them and was right. Unfortunatelj' 

 the native boy and my attendant were not far from being quite used up. We had to stop frequently 

 and so progressed very slowly indeed; but we pushed on and in the afternoon were as high as 13,000 



Memoirs B. P. B. Museum. Vol. II. No. 4.— 13. LS?! J 



