HAWAII AND OAHU. 107 



idols. The situation of ttie temple is at an elevation of five thousand 

 feet above the sea. 



They proceeded a few miles beyond this point with their horses, 

 but found the ground, consisting of broken lava and scoria, too rough 

 for them. They therefore put them in charge of three little boys, to 

 take them back to Kealakeakua Bay. 



Mr. Peale shot two of the mountain geese peculiar to this part of 

 the island ; they are remarkably fine birds, and live entirely upon 

 berries. In their route this day they passed several caves, which the 

 natives were said to have inhabited while collecting sandalwood on 

 the mountains for the chiefs. The walking now became extremely 

 fatiguing, over vast piles of scoria, thrown up in loose heaps. There 

 was no vegetation except a few small trees of Metrosideros, scattered 

 here and there, and whortleberries. The heaps of scoria were to ap- 

 pearance like those from some huge foundry. 



On the 18th, they resumed their journey at an early hour, passing 

 in a direction towards Mauna Kea, over many rough ridges of the old 

 lava streams, that were found from a quarter of a mile to a mile in 

 width. One in particular, that pursued a northwest direction, their 

 guides informed them was forty miles in length, and had flowed down 

 towards the centre of the island. It had not a particle of vegetation 

 on it ; not even a lichen was to be seen. The lava of this stream is 

 broken up into pieces of all sorts of shapes and sizes, weighing from a 

 pound to many tons. Mr. Peale remarks, that the whole mass looked 

 so fresh, that it appeared as though it ought to burn the feet of the 

 passing traveller — and yet this eruption took place anterior to native 

 tradition. 



One of the native guides, Kimo, gave out here from fatigue, and 

 after sharing his load they left him to follow. 



They next passed two old craters covered with bushes and grass, 

 at whose base was a fresh-looking stream of glassy lava. The first 

 crater was in many respects like an old stone quarry, though on a 

 gigantic scale : the rocks were broken up, and thrown about in great 

 confusion ; one side of the wall appeared as though it had been blown 

 out, and strewed on the plain beneath ; the sides that were left were 

 nearly perpendicular, and presented distinct layers. Many plants 

 were growing in the crevices. 



The second crater was of a regular conical shape, both within and 

 without, the interior being an inverted cone. Although the interior 

 presented this great regularity, yet its sides were apparently composed 



