On the Volcanic Character of the Island of Hawaii. 201 



manner." " Some of them were six, ten, or twelve feet above 

 the general surface, fixed in the lava below, which appeared 

 to have flowed round their base, and filled up the interstices 

 occasioned by the separation of the different pieces. One side 

 of these rugged slabs generally presented a compact, smooth, 

 glazed, and gently undulated surface, while the other appeared 

 rugged and broken, as if torn with violence from the viscid 

 mass, to which it had tenaciously adhered. Probably these 

 slabs Were raised by the expansive force of heated air, or of 

 steam, beneath the sheet of lava." " A number of conical 

 hills, from 150 to 200 feet high, rose immediately in our rear, 

 much resembling sand-hills in their appearance. On exami- 

 nation, however, we found them composed of volcanic ashes 

 and scoria; but could not discover any mark of their ever 

 having been craters." So common were streams and masses 

 of lava wherever the missionaries travelled, that upon this 

 harsh substance they almost always walked, sat, and slept. On 

 the evening of the 26th, they spread their " mats upon the 

 lava, and lay down to sleep under the canopy of heaven." A 

 pile of blocks, of scoria, and lava ; part of which they had 

 themselves erected, screened their heads from the wind. 



The company were much distressed for want of water, but 

 were relieved by the natives, who appear to have been uni- 

 formly kind and hospitable. 



After leaving Keavaiti on the 27th, (i Messrs. Thurston, 

 Bishop, and Goodrich travelled over the rugged lava, till the 

 moon becoming obscured by dark heavy clouds, they were 

 obliged to halt under a high rock of lava, and wait the dawn 

 of day ; for they found it impossible to proceed in the dark, 

 without being every moment in danger of stumbling over the 

 sharp projections of the rocks, or falling into some of the deep 

 and wide fissures that intersected the lava in every direction. 

 During the whole of the 27th, a most beautiful spouting of 

 the water attracted the attention of the travellers. It was pro- 

 duced by the rolling of the waves of the sea, which, through 

 an aperture of about two feet in diameter, every few seconds 

 threw up a volume of water with considerable noise, and a 

 pleasing effect, to the height of thirty or forty feet. The lava 

 at this place was very ancient, and much heavier than that at 

 Kona. The vesicles were completely filled with olivin. 



Almost every incident connected with this interesting tour 

 is in some way associated with lava. Villages and funeral piles, 

 and sanctuaries of refuge were built upon lava. This sub- 

 stance was often the missionary's pulpit, when he preached, 

 and the seat of the people while they heard the tidings of sal- 

 vation ; and at night, the pilgrims often sought repose upon 



Vol. 68. No. 341. Sept. 1826. 2 C this 



