164 
gamous and Cryptogamous Plants, but the 
limits of vegetation itself are defined wit 
the greatest exactness, and the species do 
not gradually diminish in number and sta- 
ture, as is generally the case on such high 
elevations. 
The line of what may be called the 
Woody Country, the upper verge of which 
the barometer expresses 21,450 inch.; 
therm. 46° at 2 P. M., is where we immedi- 
ately enter on a region of broken and un- 
even ground, with here and there lumps of 
lava, rising above the general declivity to 
a height of three hundred to four hundred 
feet, intersected by deep chasms, which 
show the course of the lava when in a state 
of fluidity. This portion of the mountain 
is highly picturesque and sublime. Three 
kinds of timber, of small growth, are scat- 
tered over the low knolls, with one species 
of Rubus and Vaccinium, the genus Fra- 
garia and a few Gramineae, Filices, and 
some alpine species. This region extends 
to bar. 20,620 inch. ; air 40°, dew-point 30°. 
There is a third region, which reaches to 
the place where we encamped yesterday, 
and seems to be the great rise or spring of 
the lava, the upper part of which, at the 
foot of the first extinct peak, is bar. 
20,010 inch. ; air 39°. 
At six o'clock the next morning, accom- 
panied by three Islanders and two Ameri- 
cans, I started for the summit of the moun- 
tain; bar, at that hour indicated 20,000 inch. 
therm. 24°, hygr. 20°, and a keen West 
wind was blowing off the mountain, which 
was felt severely by us all, and especially 
by the natives, whom it was necessary to 
protect with additional blankets and great 
coats, € passed over about five miles 
of gentle ascent, consisting of large blocks 
of lava, sand, scorie, and ashes, of every 
size, shape, and colour, demonstrating all 
the gradations of calcination 
mildest to the most intense. 
: ; where 
spring the great vent-holes of the subter- 
ranean fire, or numerous volcanos. The 
general appearance is that of the channel 
of an immense river, heaved up. In some 
places the round boulders of lava are so 
MR. DOUGLAS' VOYAGE FROM THE COLUMBIA TO THE 
regularly placed, and the sand is so washed 
in, around them, as to give the appearance. 
of a causeway, while in others, the 
seems to have run like a stream. | 
commenced the ascent of the Great Peak 
at nine o'clock, on the N. E. side, over 
ridge of tremendously rugged lava, 
hundred and seventy feet high, preferring 
this course to the very steep ascent of the 
South side, which consists entirely of loose 
ashes and scoriw, and we gained the sum- 
mit soon after ten. Though exhausted 
expressed at first oF 
twelve o’clock, 41°, though 
. 
it 
rise at all. 
that such an immen ; 
terial, combined with the influence 
ternal fire, and taken in connexion 
insular position of Mouna Kush, su 
ed with an immense mass € 7 
have the effect of raising the 9" 
considerably, except on the ; 
vity, or where sheltered by "E 
lava, there was no snow to be ee 
on the top of the cairn, where the 5 
