LIFE OF JAMES DWIGHT DANA 



strange sound which suggested the dash of waves. Mr. 

 Emerson thinks I was right in my suspicion that it was 

 the roar of the sea of fire ! He said he had heard it here 

 himself." 



MISS DANA TO E. S. DANA 



"VOLCANO HOUSE, KILAUEA, August 15, 1887. 



' This morning father and Mr. Emerson planned for 

 an early start down into the crater, if the skies were 

 favorable. But they were not, and there was small hope 

 of a change for the better. Suddenly it came, however, 

 and just at nine they started off. ... A favorite 

 course is to go down about 3.30, and return late in the 

 evening, so seeing the fiery billows to the best advantage. 

 Of course lanterns are carried, but it is not very com- 

 fortable. . . . 



' This house is very unlike any mountain hotel you 

 were ever at. Most of the rooms open on the piazza. 

 They are small, very plain, and the beds are very hard. 

 The table is pretty good, but the regular cook is off 

 on a vacation, and our host is evidently troubled about 

 our service.*' 



'* PUNALUU, HAWAII, August 21, 1887. 



' The ride (from the Volcano House to this place) was 

 called ten miles, but they were long ones, and five were 

 over the lava, requiring careful movement. We were all 

 quite willing to rest at the half-way house, after having 

 been in the saddle over four hours. We found a lunch 

 awaiting us, but were reminded that we were all to dine 

 with Mr. Foster, at the Pahala Plantation, some nine 

 miles farther on. Over those miles we were carried in a 

 ' bus ' drawn by four mules, six of the party inside, one 

 beside the driver, and the rest in two brakes. It was a 

 hard, rough, trip, and gave us all the shaking up that 

 could well be put into that space of time. This is a 

 desolate region; lava covers most of the ground. I was 

 deeply impressed by the amount and extent of volcanic 

 action, and am truly glad my home does not lie on 

 Hawaii! Our new host, Mr. Foster, was waiting to wel- 

 come our arrival at his charming house. We were a 



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