174 PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. [DeC. 3, 



of a human being. These elongated cones, overlooking the yawning 

 fissures, were vertical, retreating, or overhanging, on their inner 

 sides : and immense avalanches were often precipitated from their 

 faces and toppling crests into the yawning gulf below. In this way 

 the fissures were much choked, and the lava, which now went oflp by 

 a lateral subterranean chamber, probably 1000 feet below the sur- 

 face, could not be seen at this point. It first makes its appearance 

 through the openings several miles down the slope of the Mount, 

 as before described. But the fearful rush of white smoke and gases 

 from these fissures on the summit fills one with awe, and the spec- 

 tator must use his utmost care lest the fierce whirlwinds which gyrate 

 and sweep over these heated regions throw him over, or strangle him 

 with sulphurous gases. 



These high realms are covered with recent deposits from the 

 eruption, scattered widely and wildly on every hand. The whole 

 summit of the mountain was covered with smoke, which darkened 

 the sun and obscured every object a few rods distant. 



We encamped on the Mount from Saturday until Monday, when 

 we descended, and by forced marches reached Hilo on Thursday, 

 having been absent ten days. 



Visits to the Lava-current. — About the 1st of November I made 

 my first visit * to the terminus of the lava-current, as it was burning 

 its way through the forest and within about fifteen miles of Hilo. 

 My companion on this occasion was Mr. Ritson. Penetrating a few 

 miles into the jungle, we came into the bed of a considerable stream 

 of water, up which we waded among slippery stones and in a drench- 

 ing rain with considerable difiiculty. On the evening of the second 

 day, weary, soaked, and nearly discouraged with the prospect of a 

 dark, dreary, and drenching night in the jungle without fire or 

 shelter, we came suddenly upon the burning lava, some three miles 

 wide, consuming the thicket, prostrating lofty trees, and glowing 

 with innumerable fires. Night was upon us, and we halted under a 

 tree within 6 feet of the lava- stream, which served to boil our tea, 

 roast our ham, dry our clothes, and keep us warm through the long 

 and stormy, but intensely interesting night. 



The pyrotechnical scene was indescribable: standing under our 

 tree we could survey an area of some fifteen square miles, over which 

 countless fires were gleaming with extreme brilliancy. The jungle 

 was burning and trees were falling ; the rending of the rocks, the 

 detonation of gases, clouds of steam from boiling water, and scintil- 

 lations from burning leaves filled the atmosphere ; and the red glare 

 above resembled a firmament on fire. During the night we were 

 nearly surrounded by the advancing lava ; and, when we decamped in 

 the morning, we left our sheltering tree in flames. 



We retraced our steps, but the rains had swollen the stream up 

 which we waded, so that our way back was more toilsome and peril- 



* An account of this visit is given also in Silliman's ' American Journal,' 1856, 

 p. 237. 



