Volcanic Character of the Island of Hawan. 21 
of water, beautifully clear, constantly filtered through the 
arch, and fell into calabashes placed underneath to receive it. 
Unfortunately for us, these were all nearly empty : ahr 
waghaiet of died aoolsa tae and drifted by the constant 
trade-winds from the vast tract of lava to the eastward, we 
could not determine. Having refreshed ourselves, we resu- 
med our journey, taking a northerly direction towards the 
columns of smoke, which we could now distinct] perceive. 
Our way lay over a wide waste of ancient lava, of a black co- 
lour, compact and heavy, witha shining vitreous surface, fre- 
quently thrown up by the expansive force of vapour or heated 
air, into conical mounds, from six to twelve feet high, which 
were rent in a number of instances from the apex to the base. 
The hollows between the mounds and long ridges, were 
with volcanic sand, or fine particles of decomposed lava. It 
presented before us a sort of island sea, bounded by moun- 
ains in the distance. Once it had certainly been in a fluid 
pal but appeared to have become suddenly petrified, or 
assy stone, while its agitated billows were roll- 
nd Wh and fro, Not only were the large swells and hollows 
disiingtly marked, but in many places the surface of these 
billows was covered by a smaller ripple, like that observed on 
the of the sea, at the first springing up of a breeze, or 
the passing currents of 
call a “‘ cats-paw.” The sun had risen now in.his strength, 
and his bright rays reflected from the sparkling sand ; an un- 
dulated surface of the vitreous lava our eyes, and caus- 
ed considerable pain, particularly as the trade wind 
fresh in our faces, a ly drove particles of sand i ict 
our eyes. This part of our journey Was unusually lal 
not only from the heat of the sun, and the reflection from the 
lava, but also from the unevenness of the surface, which obli- 
ged us constantly to tre: ned plain, in some pla- 
ees as smooth, and heat” 4 as | 
"y as glass, where the 
