“—s . rer Pah sn, 
a op , 2 ee be i 
/ + * oS i 
- s ¢ 
- # » t 
122 Geological Features of the Island ea or Hawaii. 
arrives at a precipice from which he looks down into its dread 
immensit ae alia a 
si y- 4 4 - (Oe 
“The traditions of the natives furnish us with no account of its - 
origin. Centuries on centuries have probably rolled away. since, 
during which vast changes may have taken place. Some suppose 
it was once a lofty mountain*® that has been consumed by the de- 
vouring element, constantly raging at its base, and emptied ‘by 
some subterranean channel into the ocean. - 
Rake: _ Nantucket, November 29th, 1840. » 
P. S. I wish here to express my thanks to ‘Thomas Macy, Esq,., 
without whose interest in the subject, whatever is novel or valu- 
able in the above account might have been lost. on i: 
I have read the preceding account to Capt. Chase, who says it 
is very good and’correct, excepting that the language is in some 
places too mild, falling short of the reality, although it still seems 
to me that many who féad the description, will think it exagger- 
ated. Ree Gea oF gees ; E.G. K 
Description of the Frontispiece, presenting a vicw,of the Voleano 
of Kirauea, as it appeared on the 8th of May, 1838. 
The spectator is supposed to be stationed at the south end of the 
volcano looking north. A portion of the floor of the crater is hid by — 
the projecting rocks in front of the picture. The area of the vol- 
cano is in the form of an ellipse; its longest diameter is from north 
to south, being about eight miles in circumference. . “The sides of 
the crater vary from eight hundred to one thousand feet in height.” 
A, A, represent fissures in the floor of the crater through which 
the fire approaches within one inch of the surface. This portion 
of the floor is considerably lower down in the crater than the 
general level. B,B,Streams of sulphur which have run down the 
sides of the crater, and appear in the form of cascades. 6, 0, 
Lakes of fire, the largest two and a half miles in length, half @ 
mile in breadth, with an island of floating lava nédving up and 
down in the liquid mass. a : i | 
‘Twenty six separate cones, from twenty to sixty feet in height, 
rose from the floor of the crater—eight were in action. eg 
_ Six liquid lakes of fire of various dimensions. ° ae 
The whole of that portion of the crater marked A A, in 4 few 
hours from the visit of the travellers, fell in and became one vast 
field of liquid fire. ; 
fe 2 ae 
* Collapsed or exploded.—Eps. 
= 
~ 
