MAUN A LOA. 167 



footing. We suifered the loss of three thermometers, by the frame 

 being blown down on which they were fastened. 



Towards morning, the wind having sufficiently lulled, the pendu- 

 lum observations were continued. 



Being desirous of obtaining the depth of the crater, we prepared a 

 long line with a plummet; and Mr. Eld was also despatched below, 

 to get altitude angles with a base on both sides for the elevation of 

 the banks. He set out at ten o'clock, with the sergeant and two men, 

 and passed down under the eastern bank, — the same route Dr. Judd 

 had taken. He described it as so steep, as to threaten them, by a 

 false step or the loosening of a stone, with being precipitated below. 

 They reached the bottom in less than an hour : the plummet had 

 been lowered, which Mr. Eld went in search of, but it had only 

 reached about a third of the distance down, and on signal being 

 made, it was lowered still further ; but the cord soon chafed through, 

 and the plummet, which was the top of the ship's maul, disappeared. 



Mr. Eld obtained his base and the angles of elevation of the east 

 bank, and then went over to the west side. The passage across the 

 bottom of the crater he found much as Dr. Judd had described it ; 

 the ridges, from ten to fifty feet in height, alternating with deep 

 chasms and smooth pahoihoi. They were two hours crossing over, 

 and in imminent danger every moment of being killed by the falling 

 of fragments of rocks, or of being precipitated down the fissures, that 

 were crossed every few yards by jumping on their fragile edges, 

 and threatening himself and men on breaking through, with one of 

 the most horrible deaths. Some of the steam-cracks they were able 

 to approach, but others were entirely too dangerous to admit of such, 

 proximity. 



After finishing the observations, Mr. Eld directed his steps towards 

 the bank or wall, where he had been told it was easier to pass along ; 

 but he found the path quite as rugged; and by the time they reached 

 the place of ascent, they were all nearly unable to proceed from 

 fatigue. The prospect of remaining the coming night in the cold, 

 was sufficient to spur them on to overcome the ascent. They were all 

 completely exhausted when they reached the camp at sunset. 



The banks of the crater were found, by Mr. Eld's observations, to 

 be as follows : 



West bank, 784 feet. 



East " 470 " 



