174 : MR. DOUGLAS’ VOYAGE FROM THE COLUMBIA TO THE 
ants swarmed together in a small cave, 
which they literally converted into an oven 
by the immense fire they kindled in it. 
Wednesday, January the 29th.—The 
morning rose bright and clear, but cold, 
from tbe influence of a keen mountain- 
breeze. As the man who carried the pro- 
visions was still missing, the preparation 
of breakfast occupied but little time, so 
that, accompanied by the bird-catcher and 
Cutty-Sark, I started at half-past six for the 
summit of the mountain, leaving the others 
to collect fuel and to look for water. Shortly 
‘before day-break the sky was exceedingly 
clear and beautiful, especially that part of 
the horizon where the sun rose, and above 
which the upper limb of his disc was visi- 
ble like a thread of gold, soon to be quench- 
ed in a thick haze, which was extended 
over the horizon. It were difficult, nay, 
almost impossible, to describe the beauty 
of the sky and the glorious scenes of this 
day. The lava is terrible beyond descrip- 
tion, and our track lay over ledges of the 
roughest kind, in some places glassy and 
smooth like slag from the furnace, compact 
and heavy like basalt; in others, tumbled 
into enormous mounds, or sunk in deep 
valleys, or rent into fissures, ridges, and 
clefts. This was at the verge of the snow 
—not twenty yards of the whole space 
could be called level or even. In every 
direction vast holes or mouths are seen, 
‘varying in size, form, and colour, from ten 
to seventy feet high. The lava that has 
been vomited forth from these openings 
presents a truly novel spectacle. From 
some, and occasionally indeed from the 
same mouth, the streams may be seen, 
pressed forward transversely, or in curved 
segments, while other channels present a 
floating appearance; occasionally the cir- 
cular tortuous masses resemble gigantic 
cables, or are drawn into cords, or even 
capillary threads, finer than any silken 
thread, and carried to a great distance by 
the wind. The activity of these funnels 
may be inferred from the quantity of slag 
lying round them, its size, and the distance 
to which it has been thrown. Walking 
was rendered dangerous by the multitude 
of fissures, many of which are but slig 
give to induce them to proceed. As I took - 
the lead, it was needful for me to look be- 
which I gained soon after eleven P. M, the 
thermometer indicating 37°, and the sky 
very clear. This part was of gradual as- 
cent, and its summit might be considered 
the southern part of the dome. The snow 
became very deep, and the influence of the — 
sun melting its crust, which concealed the 
sharp points of the lava, was very unfa- a 
vourable to my progress. From this placè 
to the North towards the centre of the 
dome, the hill is more flattened. : 
a short time, and a few moments beo - 
noon, halted near the highest black shaggy 
chimney to observe the sun's passage * x: 
recording the following observations, I E 
particularly note the places, in order that : 
tion was made under | 
circumstances, on a horizon T 
without a roof, it being protected ager | 
wind by a small oil-cloth :—bar. 18" Je 
therm. 41°; in the sun's rays 43° s por * 
when buried in the snow, 31°; the ra 
point at 7°!! wind S. W. í The em . 
this extraordinary mountain 15 80 pe : 
from this point no part of the island can” 
seen, not even the high peaks o Rx 
Kuah, nor the distant horizon of oe ; 
though the sky was remarkably i KE 
a horizon of itself, and about seven 
in diameter. I ought, ere now, to have så 
