Volcanic Character of the Island of Hawaii. 23 
ourselves on the e ge of a a Nees precipice, with a vast plain be- 
ore us, fifteen or sixteen miles in circumference, and sunk 
from 200 to 400 feet below its original level. The surface of 
the plain below was uneven, and strewed over with large 
stones, thd volcanic rocks ; and in the centre of it was the 
eat crater, a mile or a mile and a half distant from the pre- 
je ie on which we were standing. Our guides led us round 
ds the north end of the ridge, in order to find a place by 
which we might descend to the plain below. As we passed 
along, we observed the natives, who had hitherto refused to 
ouch any of the ohelos, now gather several bunches, and af- 
Ks offering a part to Pele, they eat them freely. They did 
not use much ceremony in their sckiowledgement, but ‘whith 
they had plucked a bunch containing several clusters of ber- 
ries, they made a stand, with their faces turned towards the 
place where the greatest quantities of smoke and vapour is- 
sued, and breaking the branch fee held in their hand in two 
apes bait less steep, a descent to the plain below seemed 
practicable. It required, however, the greatest caution, as 
the stones and fragments of rocks frequently gave way 
our feet, and rolled down from above ; and with all our care 
we did not reach the bottom without several falls and slight 
The steep. which we as descended, was formed of 
volcanic ’ gray | l of 
lava, vesicular, and lying in sfortontal strata, in 
thickness from one to forty feet. In a small number of pla- 
ces, the different strata of lava were, also, rent in perpendic- 
alar or oblique directions from the top to the bottom, either 
earthquakes or other violent convulsions of the earth, con- 
~ with the action of the adjacent volcano. © walk- 
ing some distance over the sunken plain, which, im ‘Several 
on sounded hollow under our feet, we came suddenly to 
great crater, where a 5} cle, sublime and 
‘ial “preselited itself before us. Astonishment and awe 
oo 
