Volcanic Character of the Island of Boni. 31 
when they contemplated the possible, not to say 
pra ietiean of immense subterranean fires immediate+ 
th them. ‘The whole island of Hawaii, covering a 
space of 4000 square miles, from the summits of its lofty 
mountains, perhaps 1500 or 1600 feet “tag the level of the 
sea,* down to the beach that is washed by ee elas is, 
according to every observation that the tradelierd could make, 
one complete mass of lava, or other volcanic matter, in dif- 
ferent stages of decomposition, and, perforated with innumer- 
able apertures (or craters,) forms, perhaps, a stupendous arch, 
over one vast furnace, situated in the heart of a huge subma- 
rine mountain, of which the island of Hawaii is but the apex. 
Or possibly, the fires rage with augmented force, at the un- 
toahie depth of the ocean’s bed; and reared through the 
t weight of waters, a ‘hollow mountain, form- 
ing Viedinansbilanmees and at the same time a pyraisidal fun- 
nel, from the furnace to the ai 
It seems rather remarkable that strawberries and raspher- 
ries, which usually flourish best in moist situations, should be 
found in Hawaii around the volcanic ir ee and even in 
some Cases in the vicinity of the crater. a few miles 
of Kirauea the travellers passed three or Seasititatat ham 
—_ One of them was said by the natives to have in- 
= 
country about fourteen generations 
back. The sides of these craters are generally covered with 
verdure, while the broken irregular rocks on their surface 
‘¢ frowned like the battlements of an ancient castle in ruins.’ 
descend 
more or less decomposed. One descent was 400 feet, and 
—s 500, which brought them to ‘‘a tract of lava consid- 
erably aE RE at the end of 
=hiab: another this descended 
i c — current of lava, for 
am 800 feet perpendicular depth, when they arrived at the 
plain below, which was one extended sheet of lava, without 
shrub or bush, stretching to 
eye could reach, and from four to six miles across, from the 
foot of the mountain to the sea.” They crossed att scion 
c. neh of 14, 14,00 fet, it was press ed that this this oe es oe 
Their lava, and contain 
numero’ 
