1834, JANUARY. RETURN TO MOUNA ROA 313 



which is silvery bright duriag the prevalence of sunshine, assumed a 

 fiery aspect, and illumined the sky for many mUes around. A strong 

 North- West mountain-breeze sprung up, and the stars, especially Canopus 

 and Sirius, shone with unusual brilliancy. Never, even under a tropical 

 sky, did I behold so many stars. Sheltered by a little brush-wood, I 

 lay down on the lava beside the fiie, and enjoyed a good night's rest, 

 while my attendants 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 the influence of a keen mountain-breeze. As the man 

 who carried the provisions 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 

 daybreak 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 visible like a thread of gold, soon to be quenched in a thick 

 haze, which was extended over the horizon. It were difiicult, nay, almost 

 impossible, to describe the beauty of the sky and the glorious scenes of 

 this day. The lava is terrible beyond description, 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 simk 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 occa- 

 sionally 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 circular 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 slightly covered with a thin crust, and everywhere our 

 progress was exceedingly laborious and fatiguing. As we continued to 

 ascend, the cold and fatigue disheartened the Islanders, who required 

 all the encouragement I could give to induce them to proceed. As I took 

 the lead, it was needful for me to look behind me continually, for when 

 once out of sight, they would pop themselves down, and neither rise nor 

 answer to my call. After resting for a few moments at the last station, 

 I proceeded about seven mUes further, over a similar kind of formation, 

 till I came to a sort of low ridge, the top of which I gained soon after 

 eleven p.m.,i the thermometer indicating 37°, and the sky very clear. 

 This part was of gradual ascent, and its summit might be considered the 

 ^ Should evidently be a.m. not p.m. — Ed. 



