22 Volcanic Character 0) the Island of Hawai. 
atest caution was necessary to avoid a fall: frequently we 
% 
chose to walk along on the ridge of a billow of lava, though 
leading from the volcano to the shore, The surface of the 
lava on both sides was considerably heated, and the vapour 
had a strong sulphureous smell. 
We continued our way, beneath the scorching rays of a 
vertical sun, till about noon, when we reached a solitary 
tree, growing in a bed of sand, and spreading its roots among 
the crevices of the lava. We threw ourselves down, stretch- 
ed out our weary limbs beneath its grateful shade, and drank 
poe water left in our canteens. 
kage 
“Yn every direction around us, we observed a number of 
pieces of spumous lava, of an olive colour, extremely cellu- 
jar, and as light as a sponge. They appeared to have been 
drifted by the wind into the hollows which they occupied. 
The high bluff rocks on the north-west side of the volcano, 
were very distinctly seen ; the smoke and vapour driven past 
us, and the scent of the fumes of sulphur, which, as we ap- 
proached from the leeward, we had perceived ever since the 
wind sprung up» were now very strong, and indicated our ap- 
‘oach to Kirauea. Impatient to view it, we rose, after rest- 
ing about half an hour, and pursued our journey. By the 
way-side we saw a number of low bushes, bearing beautiful 
red and yellow berries in clusters, each berry being about the 
size and shape of a large currant. The native name of the 
nt is 0. 
Ve travelled on, clearing every Ohelo bush that grew 
near the patl i, till about 2 P. M. when the great CRATER OF 
Kiravea all at once burst upon our view. We expected to 
