Geological Features of the Island of Owyhee or Hawaii. 119 



tance, and on either side stretched the broad expanse of the ocean, 

 mingling with the far horizon. The party had travelled nearly the 

 whole extent of the current of lava before sunset ; they were, how- 

 ever, rruich fatigued and gladly took possession of a rude hut erect- 

 ed by the islanders, where they slept soundly through the night. 



Early the next morning, ere the sun rose, they resumed their 

 journey, and soon a beautiful landscape broke upon their view, 

 but its delightful scenery detained them only a few moments, for 

 the smoke of the volcano was seen rising gracefully in the distance. 

 Gluickening their march, they arrived soon after nine o'clock at a 

 smoking lake of sulphur and scoriss, from which they collected 

 some delicate specimens of crystallized sulphur, and proceeded on. 

 The next object which attracted the attention, was a great fissure 

 five or six hundred feet from the crater. It was about thirty feet 

 wide, five or six hundred feet long, and from all parts of it con- 

 stantly issued immense bodies of steam, so hot that the guides 

 cooked potatoes over it in a few minutes. The steam, on meet- 

 ing the cold air, is condensed, and not far from the fissure on the 

 north, is a beautiful pond formed from it, that furnishes very 

 good water and is the only place where it occurs for many miles. 

 The pond is surrounded with luxuriant trees, and sporting on its 

 surface were seen large flocks of wild fowls. 



It was now 10 o'clock, and the whole party, since passing the 

 lake of sulphur, had been walking over a rugged bed of lava, and 

 standing by the side of vast chasms, of fathomless depth. They 

 had now arrived at the great crater of Kirauea, eight miles in cir- 

 cumference, and stood upon the very brink of a precipice, from 

 which they looked down more than a thousand feet into a horrid 

 gulf, where the elements of nature seemed warring against each 

 other. Huge masses of fire were seen rolling and tossing like the 

 billowy ocean. From its volcanic cones, continually burst lava, 

 glowing with the most intense heat. Hissing, rumbling, agoni- 

 zing sounds came from the very depths of the dread abyss, and 

 dense clouds of smoke and steam rolled from the crater. 



Such awful, thrilling sights and sounds were almost enough to 

 make the stoutest heart recoil with horror and shrink from the 

 purpose of descending to the great seat of action. But men who 

 had been constantly engaged in the most daring enterprise* — 



* Whale fishery. 



