SANDWICH ISLANDS, AND THE ASCENT OF MOUNA ROA. 
— fer was fixed, there were only a few hands- 
= ful One thing struck me as curious, the 
EU apparent non-diminution of sound; not as 
= respects the rapidity of its transmission, 
= which is, of course, subject to a well- 
. known law. Certain it is, that on moun- 
tains of inferior elevation, whose summits 
are clothed with perpetual snow and ice, 
we find it needful to roar into one another’s 
ears, and the firing of a gun, at a short 
distance, does not disturb the timid Ante- 
lope on the high snowy peaks of N. W. 
. America. Snow is doubtless a non-con- 
ductor of sound, but there may be also 
Something in the mineral substance of 
Mouna Kuah which would effect this. 
Until eleven o’clock, the horizon was 
. beautifully defined on the whole N. W. of 
the island. The great dryness of the air 
| is evident to the senses, without the assist- 
~ ance of the hygrometer. Walking with’ 
my trousers rolled up to my knees, and 
without shoes, I did not know there were 
holes in my stockings, till I was apprised 
of them by the scorching heat and pain in 
. my feet, which continued throughout the 
i day, the skin also peeled from my face. 
, NAue on the summit I experienced violent 
. head-ache, and my eyes became blood- 
é A accompanied with stiffness in their 
S d iA ETE 
o TENES 
Hg Were the traveller permitted to express 
. the emotions he feels when placed on such 
a astonishing part of the earth’s surface, 
cold Indeed. must his heart be to the great 
; ?Perations of Nature, and still colder to- 
j ‘Wards Nature’s God, by whose wisdom and 
| oua wonderful scenes were created, 
a he could behold them without deep hu- 
y and reverential awe. Man feels him- 
. Selfas 
18 condition, an object of pity 
Compassion, utterly ao to stand 
presence of a great and good, and 
j holy God, and to contemplate 
versified works of His hands! 
165 
I made a small collection of geological 
specimens, to illustrate the nature and qua- 
lity of the lavas of this mountain, but be- 
ing only slightly acquainted with this de- 
partment of Natural History, I could do 
no more than gather together such materi- 
als as seemed likely to be useful to other 
and more experienced persons. As night 
was closing and threatening to be very 
stormy, we hastened towards the camp, 
descending nearly by the same way as we 
came, and finding my guide Honori and 
the other men all in readiness, we all pro- 
ceeded to the edge of the woody region, 
and regained the lodge, highly gratified 
with the result of this very fatiguing day's 
excursion. Having brought provision from 
the hill, we fared well. 
January the 13th.—The rain fell fast all 
night, and continued, accompanied by a 
dense mist, this morning, only clearing 
sufficiently to give us a momentary glimpse 
of the mountain, covered with snow down 
to the woody region. We also saw Mouna 
Roa, which was similarly clothed for a 
great part of its height. Thankful had we 
cause to be that this heavy rain, wind, and 
fog did not come on while we were on the 
summit, as it would have caused us much 
inconvenience, and perhaps danger. 
The same weather continuing till the 
15th, I packed up all the baggage, and 
prepared to return. It consisted of several 
bundles of plants, put into paper and large 
packages tied up in Coa baskets, which are 
manufactured from a large and beautiful 
tree, a species of Acacia, of which the 
timber resembles mahogany, though of a 
lighter colour, and is beautiful, and said to 
be durable: also some parcels of geologi- 
cal specimens, my instruments, &c. At 
seven A. M. I started, having sent the 
bearers of my luggage before me, but I 
had hardly entered the wood by the same 
path as I took on my ascent, when the rain 
be to fall, which continued the whole 
day without the least intermission ; but as 
there was no place suitable for encamping, - 
and the people, as usual, had straggled 
away from one another, I resolved to pro- 
ceed. The path was in a dreadful state, 
