VISIT TO THE GREAT VOLCANO. 20-J 



It is remarkable that this crater should present an external 

 aspect so entirely dissimilar to that of Etna and Vesuvius, or 

 any of the volcanoes of South America. Those are characte- 

 rized by an elevated cone, out of which are ejected igneous 

 rocks and ashes. Kilauea, on the contrary, is an immense 

 depression in the midst of a vast plain with nothing to warn 

 you of a near approach but the signs which I have before 

 spoken of. 



We now directed our course toward the cluster of shanties 1 

 erected on the brim of the crater by Captain Wilkes's party 

 which we soon reached, and found one occupied by Dr. Pick- 

 ering, who came round by the sea-shore. The remaining 

 shanties were in the possession of about fifty natives, who had 

 come from a town near the coast to take away a large canoe 

 which they had made in the neighboring wood, some time pre- 

 vious. 



After supper we proceeded in company with Dr. Pickering 

 to a place about half a mile to the eastward of the shanties 

 to obtain a view of a small crater which was represented to 

 be unusually active. We could not possibly have selected a 

 more eligible position. We stood on a pile of rocks which 

 commanded a bird's-eye view of the fiery lake. It was 

 several thousand feet in circumference, and nearly round in 

 form. The color of its burning contents was that of a cherry- 

 red or deep crimson, and it was in a state of terrific ebullition. 

 Sometimes the fiery fluid was ejected many feet into the air, 

 at other times it was seen to overflow the edges on the circumja- 

 cent lava, for many yards distant. We continued to gaze upon 

 the scene about an hour, and then returned to our lodgings, 

 where w T e soon had opportunity of observing another phenome- 

 non of a character not less grand and splendid. We were re- 

 clining on our mats, with our eyes directed towards the largest 



