LIFE OF JAMES DWIGHT DANA 



could rend rocks ! ' * This refers to their belief that the 

 sorcerers can pray people to death, or pray rocks asun- 

 der. Nothing was said of a hammer! The native is 

 himself a Christian, has been an elder in their church, 

 though now too old and feeble to perform the duties of 

 the office. 



" Father feels well repaid for the journey here, and 

 made several trips around and across the crater. It is 

 surprising how well he has borne all his fatigue, and 

 especially the semi-public life we lead." 



J. D. DANA TO HIS SON ARNOLD 



" HONOLULU, August 23, 1887. 



' We are just back to-day from our trip to Maui and 

 Hawaii which has occupied the last three weeks. It 

 has been a great success throughout, as regards pleasure, 

 science, health, etc. The details are in part in your 

 mother's and sister's letters, and for Maui, I believe, in 

 one of mine to Ned. Your sister has gone through all 

 the volcanic excursions as well as any of the party, and 

 perhaps a little better, nothing seeming to fatigue her 

 and everything to interest. ... In our week at Ki- 

 lauea, mother saw the fires from the Volcano House and 

 once from a nearer point ; but did not go down into the 

 crater. I was at the bottom three days, besides going 

 over the country around it. But the fires, while instruct- 

 ive, were far from brilliant and greatly inferior to those 

 of 1840." 



J. D. DANA TO E. S. DANA. 



" HONOLULU, August 24, 1887. 



" As to myself, I have kept at work pretty constantly, 

 learned much, tramped much, and am none the worse for 

 it even after the half-starving fare during the week at 

 the Volcano House. 



* Professor Dana's Hawaiian title : 



Kahuna wawahi pohaku. 



(doctor or priest) (rend) (rocks) 



Rock-rending medicine man. 



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