144 MA UN A LOA. 



from the crater to purchase provisions, now joined ns, with two more 

 o-uides. He brought information that he had obtained forty goats, 

 and that we should receive full supplies. This was encouraging 

 news, for I felt somewhat doubtful from the first in relying on the 

 natives, and their behaviour at Kilauea was not calculated to raise 

 my opinion of them. I found also, as we ascended the mountain, that 

 even light loads had become heavy, and those of any weight, insup- 

 portable ; that our time was rapidly passing, and we had a long way 

 yet before we reached the summit; and that the native food was 

 nearly exhausted, while the supply for our own men was rapidly 

 consuming. 



The two guides that Ragsdale brought with him, were perfectly 

 familiar with the mountain. One of them was a celebrated bird- 

 catcher, called Keaweehu, who had been the guide of Lowenstern, 

 and knew where water was to be obtained ; but it was ten miles 

 distant. He said, that if he was furnished with calabashes and 

 natives to carry them, he would be able to bring us a supply by the 

 afternoon, if he left before the day dawned ; and that it would be two 

 days before we could get any snow, even if it were found on the 

 mountain. It had never crossed my mind, that there was any proba- 

 bility of this latter resource failing us ; I had in truth relied upon it 

 with confidence, and concluded that in the event of only one snow- 

 storm we should be enabled to find some place for a deposit, to save 

 enougrh water for all our wants. 



We now numbered nearly three hundred persons in camp, with but 

 a few small calabashes containing five or six gallons of water ; and all, 

 more or less, felt the effects of the rarefied air. Mr. Brackenridge had 

 a violent attack of the mountain sickness, although one of the stoutest 

 of the party ; many of the natives felt unwell ; and we all began to 

 experience great soreness about the eyes, and a dryness of the skin. 



At midday I found it impossible to obtain the dew-point with one 

 of Pouillet's hygrometers, but after the clouds reached us in the 

 afternoon it was found at 10°. 



Dr. Judd had his hands full administering to the wants of all ; but 

 his spirits, always buoyant and cheerful, made every one comfortable 

 and happy around him. 



Old Keaweehu told us that we had taken the wrong road to the 

 mountain, and that Puhano was not at all acquainted with the rio-ht 

 road, — a fact we had long before discovered ; that if we had come by 

 way of Papapala, he would have been able to conduct us by a route 

 we should have found water every few miles. Ragsdale was now 



