M A U N A L O A. 151 



and I despatched the men for the tents and wood, a part of which 

 had been dropped by one of the natives within liaif a mile of our 

 position. A man soon returned with the wood, and another brought 

 forward a calabash, in which we fortunately found some provisions ; 

 and we soon had what we little expected, something to eat, and what 

 the men called a comfortable breakfast. 



It was very pleasant to find the sick ones reviving, and good- 

 humour and cheerfulness so predominant among them that they 

 seemed ready for further exertions. We had now all that was neces- 

 sary to push on to the summit. I left a flag on a rocky peak near 

 by ; and this was afterwards called the Flag Station. 



About eleven o'clock we set out, and were obliged to cross a mass 

 of clinkers, which our guide had hitherto endeavoured to avoid. 

 When, after two hours' laborious walking, we reached the top or 

 terminal crater, it still continued snowing in squalls, with a keen 

 southwest wind driving in our faces : the g-round bein<j covered a foot 

 deep with snow, rendered it more dangerous and irksome to pass over 

 such loose and detached masses. 



From intelligence that had been brought me by the gentlemen 

 who had gone before and taken a hasty look into the crater, it was 

 thought that the descent into it would prove easy, and that I might 

 encamp on its floor; but I found, after travelling a long distance over 

 the rugged surface, that it was impossible to succeed in making a 

 descent. I was, therefore, compelled to return, and choose the 

 smoothest place for our encampment I could find. It was after four 

 o'clock, and but little time was left for the men to return. As soon 

 as they had pitched the tent, within about sixty feet of the ledge of 

 the crater, vising large blocks of lava to confine its cords, I sent 

 them off under charge of the guide to the Flag Station, and remained 

 with my servants only. 



By six o'clock I thought that we had made ourselves comfortable 

 for the night, and that the storm had so far moderated that it would 

 not trouble us; but a short hour proved the contrary. Our fire was 

 dispersed, candles blown out, and the tent rocking and flapping as if it 

 would go to pieces, or be torn asunder from its fastenings, and disap- 

 pear before the howling blast. I now felt that what we had passed 

 through on the previous night was comfort in comparison to this. The 

 wind had a fair sweep over us, and as each blast reached the opposite 

 side of the crater, the sound which preceded its coming was at times 

 awful ; the tent, however, continued to stand, although it had many 

 holes torn in it, and the ridge-pole had chafed through its top. 



