Geological Features of the Island of Owyhee or Hawaii. 117 



1018 = P — 1. Therefore, if we convert y nVs- ii^to a decimal frac- 

 tion, the number of decimal places before repeating will be 1018. 

 Operating, as in the last example, it would not be difficult to 

 find the q^ quotient, as well as the r^ remainder, be x however 

 great, for any prime value of P. 



Ulica, October 21, 1840. 



Art. XII. — Remarks on the Geological Features of the Island of 

 Owyhee or Hawaii* the largest of the group called the Sand- 

 wich Islands, xvith an account of the condition of the Volcano 

 of Kirauea, situated in the Southern part of the Islatid ?iear 

 the foot of Moutia Roa. Drawn up from statements made by 

 Captain Chase, of the ship Charles Carroll, and Captain Par- 

 ker, of the ship Ocean, who visited it in 1838 ; by Edward G. 

 Kelley, of Nantucket. (See frontispiece.) 



The Island of Owyhee, like many of the islands in the Pacific 

 Ocean, is of volcanic origin. Vast streams of lava have flowed 

 over its whole surface, and on every side of its lofty mountains, 

 whose summits are covered with perpetual snow. Some of these 

 streams have rolled on for thirty and forty miles over a great ex- 

 tent of country, and plunged from the precipitous cliffs which 

 skirt the island into the billows of the ocean. A single current 

 which flowed from one of the large craters on the top of Mouna 

 Huararai, in the year 1800, filled up an extensive bay, twenty 

 miles in length, and formed the present coast. 



The recent formations of lava present a vitreous and dazzling 

 surface, without a shrub or spot of grass, while those of ancient 

 date have undergone decomposition, until a soil has been formed 

 which is capable of bearing the most useful and beautiful veget- 

 able productions. Where once the fiery torrent rolled, stretches 

 the verdant forest, and the rude islander sows his seed and plants 

 his roots in soil that once glowed like the burning coal. 



The natural senery of the Island of Owhyhee, is sublime and 

 interesting ; having for ages, been subject to frequent and power- 

 ful volcanic eruptions, and rent by the most violent earthquakes. 

 In many places currents of lava have flowed over abrupt pre- 



* For notices on this subject, see this Journal, Vols, xi, p. 1 ; xx, p. 228. 



