Ascent of Mauna Loa. 



SANDWICH ISLANDS. 



Ascent of Mauna Loa. 



263 



the extensive plain surrounding the volcano ; it 

 then deviated to the southward, over an ancient 

 lava-bed, very much broken, that appeared never 

 to have been traversed before. We now became 

 for the first time acquainted with clinkers. To 

 describe these, it is merely necessary to say, they 

 are like the scoria from a foundry, only instead of 

 being the size of the fist, they are from one to ten 

 feet square, and armed on all sides with sharp 

 points ; they are for the most part loose, and what 

 makes them still more dangerous, is that a great 

 deal of the vitreous lava is among them. There 

 never was more difficult or unpleasant ground to 

 travel over. 



Our guide Puhano of Puna, who we understood 

 had accompanied Douglass and Lowenstern on 

 their ascents, now took the lead, but it soon ap- 

 peared that he knew little of the route. I there- 

 fore, in company with Mr. Briusmade, took the 

 lead, compass in hand ; and after walking over 1 the 

 broken and torn-up ground, we turned again to- 

 wards the hill-side, and began a rapid ascent 

 through a belt of long grass, where the rock was 

 covered with white clay, and seldom to be seen. 

 This part appeared to have suffered much from 

 drought ; for in passing along we came to several 

 narrow and dry water-courses, but met with no 

 water. 



At two o'clock we had nearly reached the upper 

 limit of the woods, and as the clouds began to 

 pass over, and obscure the path, we determined to 

 halt and encamp. We made several fires along 

 the route, in order to guide those behind, and as 

 a mark for the stragglers ; bushes were also 

 broken off, and their tops laid in the direction we 

 were going, by the natives; and I likewise had the 

 trees blazed, as a further indication, well known to 

 our men. Chronometer, sights were taken here, 

 and the altitude by barometer was five thousand 

 and eighty-six feet. 



During the day, the reason that had induced the 

 natives to empty the water out from the canoe, 

 became evident in their anxiety to sell us water. 

 My friend the consul had hired an especial bearer 

 for his calabash of water, determining that he 

 would have a sufficient supply. By our watching 

 and cautioning the old man who had it in charge, 

 he became somewhat alarmed and unsteady, as I 

 thought also from fatigue. When he had arrived 

 within a short distance of the camp, he stumbled 

 on a smooth place, fell, and broke the calabash into 

 numerous pieces. Those who were coming up, 

 seeing the accident, rushed to partake of its con- 

 tents, but the fluid quickly disappeared in the loose 

 and absorbent lava. This was a dreadful blow to 

 my friend's feelings, and produced much laughter 

 among us, in which the consul himself at length 

 joined ; although I must confess I was somewhat 

 of his opinion, that it had been done designedly, 

 either to secure the sale of that belonging to others, 

 or to get rid of the load, which had been a great 

 annoyance and trouble to the bearer all day, and 

 for which he had already been paid. 



At sunrise on the 19th, we had the temperature 

 at 48. 



As the ascent was now becoming laborious, we 

 selected and left the things we had no immediate 

 use for, to follow us by easy stages. We then 

 took a diagonal direction through the remaining 

 portion of the woods. By one o'clock we had lost 



all signs of trees, and were surrounded by low 

 scraggy bushes: the change of vegetation became 

 evident, not only in species, but in size ; we also 

 passed through extensive patches that had been 

 destroyed by fire. Sandalwood was seen, not as a 

 tree, but a low shrub. 



During the day we had passed extensive caves, 

 in all of which I had search made for water. These 

 often lead a long distance under ground, and some 

 of the men passed in at one end and out at an- 

 other. 



Intending to stop on Sunday not far above these 

 caves, calabash tops were left in one or two where 

 water was found to be dropping, in hopes by this 

 means to procure a small supply ; but on returning 

 the next day, it was found that very little had ac- 

 cumulated. 



Between two and three o'clock, we again became 

 enveloped in clouds, and it was necessary for us to 

 redouble our precautions against losing the track. 

 Fires were again resorted to, which at short dis- 

 tances could be seen in the intervals of mist. 



Deeming it advisable to make an early halt, we 

 stopped shortly after three o'clock, to allow all the 

 baggage to come up. Notwithstanding the size of 

 our party, there was no perceptible tract left or 

 any thing by which to be guided, but the smoke of 

 the fires, or occasionally a broken shrub, as a 

 finger-post. All the ground was hard metallic- 

 looking lava, and around nothing but a dreary waste. 

 The voice too became fainter, as the atmosphere 

 grew more rarefied. Our encampment was called 

 the Sunday Station, on account of our having re- 

 mained quietly here on that day. The altitude given 

 by the barometer was six thousand and seventy- 

 one feet, at which we found ourselves above the re- 

 gion of clouds, and could look down upon them. 



At night, on pulling off my clothes, I noticed the 

 quantity of electrical fluid elicited, which continued 

 for some time to affect the objects about me, 

 particularly a large guanaco-robe I had to sleep 

 in. 



This afternoon, we found that it would be impos- 

 sible to drive the bullock any further ; for the 

 animal began to suffer from fatigue and the want 

 of water, our supply of which was almost ex- 

 hausted ; he was accordingly killed. The natives 

 were now hawking water about the camp at half a 

 dollar the quart. I am not aware that they sold 

 any at that extravagant price ; but I saw some of 

 them in possession of handkerchiefs and old shirts, 

 which I understood had been given for it. 



Ragsdale, one of our guides, who had been de- 

 spatched to Papapala from the crater to purchase 

 provisions, now joined us, with two more guides. 

 He brought information that he had obtained forty 

 goats, and that we should receive full supplies. 

 This was encouraging news, for I felt somewhat 

 doubtful from the first in relying on the natives, 

 and their behavour at Kilauea was not calculated 

 to raise my opinion of them. I found also, as we 

 ascended the mountain, that even light loads had 

 become heavy, and those of any weight, insupport- 

 able ; that our time was rapidly passing, and we 

 had a long way yet before we reached the summit; 

 and that the native food was nearly exhausted, 

 while the supply for our own men was rapidly con- 

 suming. 



The two guides that Ragsdale brought with him, 

 were perfectly familiar with the mountain. One 



