262 On the Volcanic Character of the Island of Hawaii. 



according to every observation that the travellers could make, 

 one complete mass of lava, or other volcanic matter, in dif- 

 ferent stages of decomposition, and, perforated with innumer- 

 able apertures (or craters), forms, perhaps, a stupendous arch 

 over one vast furnace, situated in the heart of a huge subma- 

 rine mountain, of which the island of Hawaii is but the apex. 

 Or possibly, the fires rage with augmented force, at the un- 

 fathomable depth of the ocean's bed ; and reared through the 

 superincumbent weight of waters, a hollow mountain, forming 

 the base of Hawaii, and at the same time a pyramidal funnel, 

 from the furnace to the atmosphere." 



It seems rather remarkable that strawberries and raspberries, 

 which usually flourish best in moist situations, should be found 

 in Hawaii around the volcanic summits, and even in some 

 cases in the vicinity of the crater. Within a few miles of 

 Kirauea the travellers passed three or four high and rugged 

 craters. One of them was said by the natives to have inun- 

 dated the surrounding country about fourteen generations 

 back. The sides of these craters are generally covered with 

 verdure, while the broken irregular rocks on their surface 

 " frowned like the battlements of an ancient castle in ruins." 

 They descended from one escarpment to another, over lava 

 more or less decomposed. One descent was 400 feet, and 

 another 500, which brought them to " a tract of lava consi- 

 derably decomposed and about five miles wide, at the end of 

 which another steep appeared." Down this they descended 

 " by following the course of a rugged current of lava, for 

 about 800 feet perpendicular depth, when they arrived at the 

 plain below, which was one extended sheet of lava, without 

 shrub or bush, stretching to the north and south, as far as the 

 eye could reach, and from four to six miles across, from the 

 foot of the mountain to the sea." They crossed this flood of 

 lava in about two hours, and arrived at a village, whose inha- 

 bitants were unwilling to believe that the travellers had not 

 only been to Kirauea, but had broken the sulphur banks, eaten 

 the ohelos, descended to the craters, and broken fragments of 

 lava from them, — for Pele, they said, was a dreadful being, and 

 would certainly have avenged the insult. They were however 

 convinced by the sight of the specimens, but said that the 

 travellers had escaped because they were foreigners. Pele, 

 they said, had, only five moons ago, issued from a subterranean 

 cavern — overflowed the low land of Kapapala — carried into 



the. height of 14,600 feet, it was supposed that this might be the height of 

 Mouna Roa and Mouna Kea, as the tops of these mountains are covered 

 with perpetual snow. Their summits arc formed of decomposed lava, and 

 contain numerous craters. 



the 



