128 MA UN A LOA. 



Among the party we had several white men as interpreters, besides 

 our native guides, who formed as it were a connecting link between 

 ourselves and the natives proper. The whole was in keeping, for all 

 had set out for a hard and rough journey ; and knowing we had an 

 arduous task to perform, we were all appropriately clothed for work. 



The dress of the natives consisted of the maro and a light piece 

 of tapa-cloth, worn as a shawl, which, when working, was usually 

 wrapped around their bodies. In order to protect the feet, they were 

 each furnished with a pair of raw-hide sandals, which they tie on 

 their feet as boys do their skates. These are put on so as to cover 

 the palms of the feet. For want of hide, some made sandals of ti- 

 leaves, which answer the purpose quite as well for a time, though 

 they are not so durable, and walking in them causes an awkward gait. 



The whole company was a sort of mob, each moving after his 

 own fashion, and straggling occasionally out of the path to save a 

 few yards of distance. The chief Pea and his body-guard brought 

 up the rear, to pick up stragglers and assist the weary. 



After leaving Olaa, we had no distinct path to follow ; for the whole 

 surface became a mass of lava, which retained all its metallic lustre, 

 and appeared as if it had but just run over the ground — so small was 

 the action of decomposition. There were only a few stunted bushes 

 on our track ; but some dense patches of wood were observed on the 

 right. The day was warm, with a bright sun; and when we passed 

 pools of water standing in the lava rock, as we frequently did, the 

 natives would rush into them like over-heated dogs, and seemed to 

 enjoy the temporary coolness brought about by the evaporation. 



The lava had a peculiar metallic appearance, and had evidently 

 run over the surface in a melted state. The natives call this smooth 

 kind pahoihoi, which is the same word they use for satin. This, 

 after running smooth for some distance, would assume a wrinkled 

 or wavy form, showing that the mass had been pressed forward, 

 in cooling. The melted rocky stream, in places where the descent 

 was rapid, appears to have been urged forward with some velocity, 

 and as the surface cooled and became fixed, the melted matter has 

 run out from beneath, leaving a kind of trench or tunnel, which, 

 in some places, is of considerable size. The localities of the tunnels 

 are pointed out by the hollow sound experienced in passing over 

 them. 



At 3 p. M., we reached Kapuauhi, which consists of a few houses, 

 and is about fifteen miles from Olaa. The temperature, on our 



