— Character of the Island of Hawaii. 25 
water, vy the cool mountain aff, and driven like drizzling rain 
into hollows in the lava, at the leeward side of the ger 
‘The pools, which were six or eight feet from the chasms, , 
surrounded and covered by flags, rushes, and tall grass. 
-Nourished by the moisture of the vapours, these plants y 
ished luxuriantly, and, in their turn, sheltered the pools from 
the heat 
pected to cot the water warm ; but in this respect we were 
also agreeably disappointed. When we had quenched our 
thirst with wants thus distilled by nature, we directed the na- 
ives to build a hut for us to pass the night im, in such a situ- 
ation as to command a view of the burning lava ; and while 
they were thus employed, we prepared to examine the many 
interesting ober aroundus. Mr. Thurston visited the east- 
the geen acne and Messrs. Ellis and Goodrich 
went to examine some extensive beds of sulphur at the north- 
east end. After erste about three quarters of a mile over 
atract of decomposed lava, covered with ohelo: 
«ame to a bank about 150 yards long, and, in some . places up- 
wards of 30 feet high, formed of volcanic sulphur, with a small 
proportion of red clay. “The ground was hot, its surface rent 
by fissures ; and they were sometimes completely enve ped 
apertures were vi 
of sulphur ; smoke and vapours arose from these fissures ; ve: 
the heat around them was more intense than im any o 
part. They climbed about half way up the bank, and endea- 
-voured to detach some parts of the crust, but soon fou 
too hot to be handled. However, by means of their walki 
sticks, they broke off some curious specimens. ‘Those procured 
near the surface were crystallized in beautiful circular prisms 
of a light te a eo cars aa 
gle or double tetrahedral pyramids, and full an inch in Tenge 
A singular hissing and cracking noise was heard among 
the crystals, whenever the outside crust of sulphur was Siritatie 
and the atmospheric air admitted. The same noise was pro- 
duced among the fragments broken off, until they were quite 
cold. The adjacent stones and pieces of ieee were. 1 
ly incrusted, either with sulphate or volcanic 
sal ammoniac. A considerable iano’ was 0 found in 
the crevices of some of the neighbouring rocks, which was 
—VOL, I. NO. L- 4 
