é 
234 Notice of Hawaii, (Owyhee,) and its Volcan Regvons, Ye. 
tum, gave rise to a sense 0 yf exposure, and. to. apprehensions, not ex- 
perienced on the form 3 occasion. 
~The rude lodge which we were to occupy, open in front, and only 
slightly thatched on the side next the wind, stands two or hun- 
dred yards from the edge of the crater on the north end, but does 
not command a view below; we, therefore, scarce stopped at it, but 
with impatient eagernesss, hurried to the brink. It was, however, 
‘only to meet with disappointment: the smoke in the whole chasm, 
was so dense as to be utterly impenetrable—a flickering flame was 
to be seen, only occasionally, here and there through its thickness} 
and, now and then, a sudden flash, sending. an illuminated column 
high towards the summit. Still the sight was deeply impressive. It 
was evident that the perpendicular depth, from our very footsteps 
down, was tremendous, and seemingly unfathomable ; and the ob- 
scure outline of the upper edges, sweeping off on either hand til 
lost to the eye in the smoke, gave an impression of awful immensily, 
disposing one to shrink back from such alarming proximity, 
Another cause of disappointment, was the absence of those ter 
tific noises, which on my first visit, were constantly bursting on the 
ear ; now scarce a sound was to be heard, except the rushing of the 
wind, as it swept over the edges of the cliffs, to replace the more 
rarefied atmosphere within—unless it were an occasional indistinct 
sigh—a half smothered murmur—and now and then, as a lull or eddy 
of the wind rendered the hearing from that direction more distinct, 
the hiss of escaping steam, and something like the simmer and 
bubbling of a mighty cauldron, mingled with the distant sound of 
a surf, rolling on a-pebbly beach. a 
There was in this assemblage of images—in the lowering sky and 
driving wind—in the riven and steaming ground—in the heavy masses 
of smoke rising from the hideous chasm beneath, as if from 4 bot- 
_tomless pit—and in the oppressive and saddening sounds occasionally 
coming tothe ear—that, which was well suited to the recollection 
years gone by, and of friends afar, who had once shared with me ™ 
the enthusiasm of high wrought admiration, excited by the same ob- 
. 
ject. And, in the indulgence of 
—‘*a mood-of mind we all have known,” 
thus induced by circumstances and by the scene, I lingeree’ 
brink till completely chilled, by the increasing, freshness ane 
ness of the breeze. . 
