350 Real and sujjposed effects of igneous action. 



It very strongly resembles some of the capillary products 

 of the great iron furnaces. I have some which I obtained 

 from those of Salisbury in Connecticut, which could scarce- 

 ly be distinguished from this volcanic glass. 



10. Igneous stalactites. — These, which the missionaries 

 have so well described, as falling from the currents of lava 

 and congealing either in the caverns, or on the lips of pro- 

 jecting precipices, are perfectly intelligible from inspecting 

 those transmitted by Mr. Goodrich. They are sometimes 

 tolerably regular cones ; at other times, twisted, protuber- 

 ant and convoluted in various fantastic forms, and exhibit in 

 their black glassy surfaces, most legible records of the ef- 

 fect of fire.* 



It is obvious on inspecting the lavas and various products 

 of this, the most stupendous and magnificent volcano on our 

 globe,^ that its products have undergone the most powerful 

 effects of volcanic heat; every fragment (those alone, resem- 

 bling the primitive rocks, being perhaps excepted,) being re- 

 plete with the records of fire. 



Indeed how can it be otherwise ! Kirauea is evidently 

 only the chimney of that vast furnace of fire, which is in 

 ceaseless activity beneath the bed of the Pacific ocean, and 

 whose seat is many miles below the crater. These subma- 

 rine volcanos have, probably by accumulation, raised many 

 of the Pacific islands from the bottom of the ocean : the 

 same tremendous agent may hereafter blow some of them 

 to atoms, and scatter their fragments among the trade winds 5 

 and other islands may, and probably will hereafter rise, 

 where navies now plough the ocean, without encountering 

 a rock. 



* A magnificent specimen of stalactical lava has been loaned to me by Major 

 Howard, boarding officer of New York. It came from Hawaii, and is repor- 

 ted to have belonged to Capt. Cook. It is larger than one's head, and in form it 

 is not unlike a pine apple, only the scales are represented by convoluted and 

 interwoven ropes of lava of a bronze color. 



t See the descriptions, Vol. XII. of this Journal, especially that of the 

 Rev, Mr. Stewart. 



