144 NATURAL HISTORY OF HAWAII. 



all clay (li-()\vsil\ float about the slopes of the mountain suddenly become rest- 

 less and crowd ;iii(l jostle and mill about one another like frightened animals. 

 At the proper moment, as at a signal from some shepherd of the winds that 

 guides and proteetH tliciii in the pasture of the heavens, they recognize and 

 peaeefully follow their leader. One by one, in dozens and in droves they work 

 around the slopes of the mountain to where the great gap in the crater wall, 

 like the gate to a sheep fold, is opened wide, ready to receive them from the 

 pasture out on Hie mountain side into the shelter and protection of the crater 

 fold. — tli(> vei-y heart of the mountain that nourishes them. 



As (lai-kness gathers tlie last stragglers, those that have Avandered farthest 

 fi-om tile t'ohl, liun-y in lo join their fellows until the floor of the crater is hidden 

 I'n.in view liy the lleeey multitude. In the shelter of the crater Avail they settle 

 down foi' Ihe night knowing, perhaps, that e're long the Southern Cross will 

 climb into the cold eleai- sky to share with the great Polar star the vigils of the 

 night. The first i-ay of light that gilds the mountain is the signal from the 

 shepherd, aiul at onee the crater fold is active; round and round these cloud- 

 sheep go. impatient to be up and away. At the proper moment they again form 

 in line behind the one appointed to lead the way out through the gap; and before 

 long are av.ay for a day's frolic in their favorite haunts on the mountain side. 



Should the traveler fail to witness the gathering of the clouds by night or 

 theii- partinii' in the morinng, the chances are that, as a substitute, he will Avit- 

 ness the most gorgeous sunrise to be seen anywhere; or perhaps, if the Aveather 

 is tine, the gleaming snow-capped peaks of ]\Iauna Kea and Mauna Loa on 

 Hawaii will loom ii|) to the south more than a hundred miles aAvay. 



lint to i-eturn to the scene near at hand. The crater is not regular in its 

 outline luif a|)pears as two or more associated craters fused into one. IIoAVCA^er, 

 one gets but an imperfect conception of the shape or extent of the crater from 

 a single viewpoint on the brink. The zigzag" elbow-shaped pit has its highest 

 point formed by one of the three cinder cones at the soutliAvest angle of the 

 crater. The wall at the north end is split doAvn to its bottom to form the yaAvn- 

 ing Koolau gap with its towering walls. This gap extends to the sea under 

 the name of the Kanae valley. At the opposite or southern end of the crater 

 is a similar hi'eak. the famous Kaupo Gap. It descends abruptly as a gorge-like 

 valley to the sea. It is completely floored Avith a hard lava stream Avith occa- 

 sional clinker beds. About half Avay down the mountain this stream emerges 

 from its gorge and spi-eads over the surface, forming a fan-shaped delta, ex- 

 tending to the sea. These gaps are among the more striking features of Hale- 

 akala and are looked upon by some as offering all the evidence necessary to 

 prove that the great crater, as it noAv exists. Avas formed by a mighty fault 

 which split the motmtain from north to south, freeing the extreme eastern ^^ 

 portion of the island from the opposite side. The gaps down Avhich the lava 

 sul)se(|nently (lowed are thus but extensions of the crack or fault. As such 

 they had their [)art in preventing the crater from filliu'.^ up with lava as it might 



10 Hana. 



