JVotice of Hawaii, (Owyhee,) and its Volcanic Regions, &fc. 241 



The remainder of the day was given to repose. As the darkness 

 of the night closed around us, however, we took a station in sight of 

 the crater, and, wrapped in our cloaks, sat in the fresh wind on the 

 precipice for an hour or more, catching occasionally through the 

 smoke, exhibitions of great beauty and sublimity. But there were 

 none to prevent a feeling of disappointed expectation, on my part, in 

 comparison with the high gratification before derived from the same 

 object : and I returned to our lodge with my companions, thinking 

 that I must remain indebted to my first visit, for the sublimest im- 

 pressions ever made on my mind and feelings, by a work of nature. 



In this, however, I was mistaken. After some hours of sound sleep, 

 I awoke ; and perceiving the smoke and clouds over the volcano to 

 be splendidly illuminated, hastened with a glass to a point of observa- 

 tion. A very sensible change had taken place in the liveliness of the 

 seats of fire — in the vividness of the flashings of light — and in the 

 sharpness and force of the sounds from various parts. I had been seat- 

 ed about ten minutes, fixing, with great delight, the field of the teles- 

 cope on one and another of the cones, and on the lakes and rivers 

 of bright lava, when a sudden hissing and mingling of confused 

 sounds, accompanied by a brilliant glare of flames almost directly be- 

 neath me, attracted my attention, and led me to direct the glass to 

 the spot. In doing this, I was presented with a spectacle, which, 

 even imagination itself can scarce rival. 



The power of the glass was such as to bring the scene, seeming- 

 ly, within touching distance ; and to make me involuntarily recoil, 

 from the apparent proximity. A lake, a half mile or more in cir- 

 cumference — and probably but just unclosed — was raging in all the 



We shuddered at the possible catastrophe — but seeing a sufficient number of the 

 natives collected, to render any assistance which might be practicable, we waited 

 in silent agitation ; not wishing to witness an event which we had no power to ar- 

 rest. In a few moments we had the happiness to perceive, from the general move- 

 ment and appearance of his companions, that the attempt at rescue had been suc- 

 cessful ; and, shortly after, pale as death — trembling like an aspen leaf — and cover- 

 ed with a cold sweat, he came and laid the old Leghorn at my feet ! 



The hat was not worth a moment of anxiety, much less such an exposure ; and, 

 while I rewarded the intrepidity, I felt disposed to reprove the rashness of the young 

 man. None but the kindest and most disinterested motives induced the attempt — 

 a principal one, doubtless, being that of seeing me under the necessity of resorting 

 to a turban of silk handkerchiefs, to shield my head from a noonday tropical sun — and 

 though alarming in its possible consequences, the motive merited commendation and 

 grateful acknowledgment. 



