Volcanic Characier of the Island of Hawaii. 9 
-waier, the hollow sound of their footsteps, and the varied re- 
verberations of their voices, produced a singular effect ; and it 
would have required little aid from the fancy, to have imagi 
eda resemblance between this-scene and the fabled Stygian 
lake of the poets.” ‘*’The mouth of the cave is about halfa 
mile from the sea, and the perpendicular depth to the water, is 
probably not less than fifty or sixty feet. The pool is occa- 
sionally visited by the natives, for the purpose of bathing, as 
its water is cool and refreshing. From its ebbing and flow- 
ing, it has probably a direct communication wi sea.’ 
It was ascertained that the point which forms the northern 
boundary of the bay, and ‘rt ree or four miles into the 
sea, is composed entirely of lava, and was formed by an erup- 
tion from one of the large craters, on the top of Mouna Hua- 
rarai, about twenty-three years ago, which filled up an exten- 
sive bay, twenty miles in length, and formed the present coast. 
A number of villages, plantations, fish ponds, &c. were at 
time destroyed.” - ee ea : = . 
It was observed that in several places ‘‘the sea rushes with 
vio along the cavities beneath the lava, to a considerable 
distance, and then, forcing its waters through the apertures in 
the surface, forms a number of jets d’eau, which falling again 
on the rocks, roll rapidly back tothe ocean.” 
In the morning of June 28, 1823, ‘‘ Messrs. Thurston, 
Goodrich, : { d, walked t 1s tl tains, to visit 
the high and cultivated parts of the district. After travelling 
over the lava for about a mile, the hollows in the rocks began to 
be filled with a light brown soil; and about half a mile further, 
the surface was actually covered with a rich mould, formed by 
decayed vegetation and decomposed laya.” ‘The fences were 
made with the fragments of lava, enclosing small and well cul- 
tivated fields, ‘‘ planted with bananas, sweet potatoes, moun- 
in tard; tapa trees, melons, and sugar cane, flourishing lux- 
A fter passi three or four miles, through this  delightfil 
region,” they found several pools of water, and arrived at 
the woody region, which extends several miles up the sides of 
he lofty mountain, that rises immediately behind Kairpa. _ 
N. S.--VOL. I. . 
