A CAMP IN A CRATER. 197 



vent it. You come upon it as abruptly as upon the 

 first, and the bank is steep, even shelving in, so that 

 you are obliged to lie down and peer over the brink 

 to see to the bottom of the abyss. Unlike the first, 

 it has no water, save a small pool, dark and gloomy 

 enough to be an opening into the great infernal re- 

 gions below, as it undoubtedly is. This pool is in the 

 eastern side of the crater-floor, which is here com- 

 paratively level, with a dip in the direction of the 

 water. The walls arise from this floor, jagged and 

 rent, torn and water-worn, for nearly a thousand feet, 

 precipitous, seamed in places with ravines and cov- 

 ered with ferns. 



There is not much of interest here outside the fact 

 that it had its origin in that terrible explosion in 1812, 

 before which the space occupied by this great crater 

 was solid mountain. At the same time also that coni- 

 cal island which rose from the center of the other cra- 

 ter was blown into space. It has been entered and 

 the bottom reached, but all attempts to fathom that 

 black pool have been unavailing. From a little dis- 

 tance can be seen the bulging wall that arises from 

 the slope eastward, which gives this mountain sum- 

 mit a cone-like character. Beyond is an enclosing 

 ring of mountains, and in a narrow valley between 

 crater-cone and mountains are deep, very deep, ra- 

 vines and gorges, where flowed that fiery tide of lava 

 when it swept down upon the windward coast. 



We returned to the cave, and soon the party left 

 us, with offers of assistance when I should arrive at 

 their plantations. Toby sat in the cave's mouth, nor 

 would he stir from it during the ensuing three days 

 and nights, except to get water and wood. His ex- 



