182 K I L A U E A. 



cautions not to be too venturesome. I waited to see him pass over 

 the edge of the bank, and then went to my work of triangulation. 



The Avind was strong from the northeast, and though clear, the 

 weather was unpleasant. After measuring my base, I visited all the 

 stations around the crater in their turn. The banks, like those on 

 the south side, are formed of sand and pumice, of which the former 

 is most abundant, and occurs in strata, of from six to eight inches in 

 depth. On the southwest side of the crater we did not find the gases 

 so perceptible or suffocating as I had been led to expect from the 

 natives' account, who urged numerous objections in order to prevent 

 my going there, for they imagined that they would have a difficult 

 journey. They told maiiy stories of persons falling through the 

 sand : this I could not understand until one of my men suddenly 

 sunk in up to his middle, which at once caused us to make a halt, 

 and examine the ground. The cause of this accident I found to be, 

 that the sand and pumice had accumulated iu the Great Steam-crack, 

 that leads off in the direction of Papapala (nearly south), and had 

 filled it almost to a level with the rest of the surface. It may easily 

 be conceived how this could be done by these materials, possessing 

 as they do somewhat of an adhesive quality, resulting partly from 

 their glassy points and fibres. In treading on these places, the 

 person immediately falls down, which prevents him from sinking 

 farther. Such was the terror that came over him, that he crawled 

 with great rapidity to a place where he could find a point of safety 

 or firmer ground, to rise upon. The natives, in passing over these 

 sands, were always desirous of feeling their way with a stick. 



What is the most remarkable circumstance about this volcano is, 

 that a short distance from it there is no appearance of such a pheno- 

 menon being near, and one cannot help expressing much astonishment 

 on approaching the edge, to see it so close at hand. From every 

 part of the bank, it is a wonderful sight; but the view from, the 

 northern side to me was the finest, as the whole of this mighty 

 laboratory of nature is there embraced in one view. The oldest native 

 traditions record it to have been in constant operation. 



On the southeast side there are some loose blocks of lava, that have 

 somewhat the appearance of having been ejected, but they are few 

 in number. Stones were more numerous on this side, although 

 they would not perhaps warrant the opinion that there has been an 

 eruption of stones. There is but little doubt that the sand is thrown 



