184 K I L A U E A. 



forming a kind of funnel or bridge, from beneath which the lava has 

 flowed, leaving the soil in places uninjured. Numbers of ferns, 

 having a luxuriant growth, were found under these immense slabs. 

 In examining the edge of the bank, I became satisfied of the correct- 

 ness of the above opinion, as the flow over the ledge seems to have come 

 from beneath, and to have coiirsed down the sides, either in broad 

 ribands, or in streams like large cables, coiling themselves in confused 

 layers on the black ledge. The flow into the pit seemed to be less fltiid, 

 as it did not reach the bottom, and flowed in one broad stream. Passing- 

 on, we reached the bluff bounding Waldron's Ledge, which is the 

 highest part around the crater ; it is bold and projecting, and in some 

 places the path leads close under it, among large blocks that have fallen 

 from it, either by the shaking of earthquakes or decomposition by time. 



The annexed plate is taken from a camera lucida sketch, by Mr. 

 Drayton ; and gives an idea of the stratification of the walls around 

 the crater. 



When we ascended the bank, it became evident that the eruption 

 had taken place at the small crater ; this gave rise to much uneasi- 

 ness respecting the party that had gone down. I searched with my 

 glass in every part of the crater, but saw no one, although I was 

 convinced that they could not have proceeded up before us. When 

 I returned to the encampment. Dr. Judd was not to be found there, 

 and nothing had been heard of him. 



I therefore felt great relief, when in about a quarter of an hour I 

 saw the party returning. On greeting Dr. Judd, I received from 

 him the following account. 



After he left me, he proceeded with the natives down the ravine 

 into the crater; thence along the black ledge to its western part, 

 where he descended by the same toilsome path that had been followed 

 a month before. After reaching the bottom, he found a convenient 

 steam-hole, whence a strong sulphureous gas issued ; and he then 

 arranged the apparatus for collecting it. This was found to answer 

 the purpose, and was readily and completely absorbed by water. 

 The gas was then collected in a phial containing red-cabbage water 

 turned blue by lime, wdien it became intensely red. 



Dr. Judd then sought for a place where he might dip up some of 

 the recent and yet fluid lava, but found none sufficiently liquid for the 

 purpose. Failing here, he proceeded towards the great fiery lake at 

 the southern extremity of the crater. He found that the ascent 

 towards this was rapid, because the successive flowings of the lava 



