254- On the Volcanic Character of the Island of Hawaii. 



crevices of the lava. We threw ourselves down, stretched out 

 our weary limbs beneath its grateful shade, and drank the 

 little water left in our canteens. 



" In every direction around us, we observed a number of 

 pieces of spumous lava, of an olive colour, extremely cellular, 

 and as light as a sponge. They appeared to have been drifted 

 by the wind into the hollows which they occupied. The high 

 bluff rocks on the north-west side of the volcano were very 

 distinctly seen ; the smoke and vapour driven past us, and the 

 scent of the fumes of sulphur, which, as we approached from 

 the leeward, we had perceived ever since the wind sprung up, 

 were now very strong, and indicated our approach to Kirauea. 

 Impatient to view it, we rose, after resting about half an hour, 

 and pursued our journey. By the way-side we saw a number 

 of low bushes, bearing beautiful red and yellow berries in 

 clusters, each berry being about the size and shape of a large 

 currant. The native name of the plant is Ohelo. 



" We travelled on, clearing every Ohelo bush that grew near 

 the path, till about 2 P.M. when the great crater of Kirauea 

 all at once burst upon our view. We expected to have seen 

 a mountain with a broad base, and rough indented sides, com- 

 posed of loose slags or streams of lava, and whose summit 

 would have presented a rugged wall of scoria, forming the 

 rim of a mighty cauldron. But instead of this, we found our- 

 selves on the edge of a steep precipice, with a vast plain be- 

 fore us, fifteen or sixteen miles in circumference, and sunk 

 from 200 to 400 feet below its original level. The surface of 

 the plain below was uneven, and strewed over with large 

 stones, and volcanic rocks ; and in the centre of it was the 

 great crater, a mile or a mile and a half distant from the pre- 

 cipice, on which we were standing. Our guides led us round 

 towards the north end of the ridge, in order to find a place by 

 which we might descend to the plain below. As we passed 

 along, we observed the natives, who had hitherto refused to 

 touch any of the ohelos, now gather several bunches, and after 

 offering a part to Pele, they ate them freely. They did not use 

 much ceremony in their acknowledgement, but when they had 

 plucked a bunch containing several clusters of berries, they 

 made a stand, with their faces turned towards the place where 

 the greatest quantities of smoke and vapour issued, and 

 breaking the branch they held in their hand in two pieces, 

 they threw one part down the precipice, saying at the same 

 time, < E Pele eia ka ohelo au ; e taumaha aku wau ia oe, e ai 

 hoi au tetaki;' ('Pele, here are your ohelos; I offer some 

 to you, some I also eat.') 



" We walked on to the north end of the ridge, where the 



precipice 



