194* On the Volcanic Character of the Island of Hawaii. 



as there was no good water within five or six miles of the 

 towm In the prosecution of this effort, " they entered several 

 caverns in the lava, resembling an arched vault, or extended 

 tunnel of various thicknesses and dimensions. They supposed 

 the lava at the edges of the torrent had first cooled, hardened, 

 and formed the side walls, which approximated as they rose, 

 until uniting at the top, they became a solid arch, inclosing a 

 stream of lava, which continued to flow on towards the sea. 

 One of these tunnels, called Raniakea, they found to be of 

 considerable extent. After entering it by a small aperture, 

 they passed on, in a direction nearly parallel with the surface, 

 sometimes along a spacious arched way, not less than twenty- 

 five feet high and twenty wide ; at other times by a passage so 

 narrow that they could with difficulty press through, till they 

 had proceeded about 1200 feet. Here their progress was ar- 

 rested by a pool of water, of considerable extent and depth, and 

 salt as that found in the hollows of the lava within a few yards 

 of the sea. This latter circumstance, in a great degree damped 

 their hopes of finding fresh water, by digging through the 

 lava. In their descent, they were accompanied by more than 

 thirty natives, most of whom carried torches. On arriving at 

 the water, they simultaneously plunged in, extending their 

 torches with one hand, and swimming about with the other. 

 " The partially illuminated heads of the natives, splashing 

 about in this subterranean lake, the reflection of the torch- 

 light on its agitated surface, the frowning sides and lofty arch 

 of the black vault, hung with lava, that had cooled in every 

 imaginable shape, the deep gloom of the cavern beyond the 

 water, the hollow sound of their footsteps, and the varied re- 

 verberations of their voices, produced a singular effect ; and it 

 would have required little aid from the fancy, to have ima- 

 gined a resemblance between this scene and the fabled Stygian 

 lake of the poets." — " The mouth of the cave is about half a 

 mile from the sea, and the perpendicular depth to the water, is 

 probably not less than fifty or sixty feet. The pool is occa- 

 sionally visited by the natives, for the purpose of bathing, as 

 its water is cool and refreshing. From its ebbing and flowing, 

 it has probably a direct communication with the sea." It was 

 ascertained that the point which forms the northern boundary 

 of the bay, and " runs three or four miles into the sea, is com- 

 posed entirely of lava, and was formed by an eruption from 

 one of the large craters, on the top of Mouna Huararai, about 

 twenty-three years ago, which filled up an extensive bay, 

 twenty miles in length, and formed the present coast. A num- 

 ber of villages, plantations, fish-ponds, &c. were at that time 

 destroyed." 



