MAUN A LOA. 141 



were taken here, and the altitude by barometer was five thousand and 

 eighty-six feet. 



During the day, the reason that liad induced the natives to empty 

 the water out from the canoe, became evident in their anxiety to sell 

 us water. My friend the consul had hired an especial bearer for his 

 calabash of water, determining that he would have a sufficient supply. 

 By our watching and cautioning the old man who had it in charge, 

 he became somewhat alarmed and unsteady, as I thought also from 

 f[^j^ue. When he had arrived within a short distance of the camp, 

 he^tumbled on a smooth place, fell, and broke the calabash into 

 numerous pieces. Those who were coming up, seeing the accident, 

 rushed to partake of its contents, but the fluid quickly disappeared in 

 the loose and absorbent lava. This was a dreadful blow to my friend's 

 feelings, and produced much laughter among us, in which the consul 

 himself at length joined ; although I must confess I was somewhat of 

 his opinion, that it had been done designedly, either to secure the sale 

 of that belonging to others, or to get rid of the load, which had been a 

 great annoyance and trouble to the bearer all day, and for which he 

 had already been paid. 



On the baggage coming up, Mr. Eld reported a deserter, who was 

 brought up for trial, and an investigation had, in order to make an 

 example of him. He was a swarthy and diminutive-looking person, 

 with rather a good countenance, but it was just then so distorted with 

 fright, that it was impossible to look at him without laiighing. It 

 appeared that he had been left by his chief at the crater, to super- 

 intend some hogs and provisions that belonged to the party ; while 

 thus employed, Mr. Eld, the officer in charge of the rear, wanted 

 another person to carry on the clock-case, as one of the four that 

 were attached to it had not been forthcoming ; he in consequence 

 had pressed the culprit into the service against his will, taking him 

 from the station where his chief had placed him. On the route 

 over some of the roughest part, seeing this man somewhat fatigued, 

 Mr. Eld kindly relieved him for a few moments, of whicli he took 

 advantage and disappeared. Mr. Eld immediately left the load and 

 gave chase, but in a few moments he stumbled and fell over the 

 clinkers, by which he received a contusion on the knee ; rising with 

 the prospect of having to aid in transporting the clock, he discovered 

 the delinquent concealed under a neighbouring bush, and imme- 

 diately forced him to return to his load, and thus brought him on. 

 Mr. Eld, on hearing the facts of the case told by the native, inter- 



voL. IV. 36 



