K 1 L A U E A. 201 



very picturesque within ; and one of them, to our surprise, exhibited 

 a well-cultivated farm, with a pretty cottage in the middle, sur- 

 rounded by a few trees. One of my Yankee sailors declared, that 

 he would not be ashamed to own such a farm and dwelling in New 

 England. 



In the bottom of one of these is a small lake, as smooth as a mirror, 

 and of a light-green colour, which contains plenty of fish. After an 

 earthquake, its water has frequently turned red and yellow, and smelt 

 strongly of brimstone. It is about six fathoms deep, by the report of 

 the natives, and two hundred yards across. 



In another of the craters is a pond of fresh water, of small dimen- 

 sions. Another crater, near by, is said to have a hot spring in it, 

 which the natives use as a bath. 



We returned to our guide's house, where we had an abundance of 

 every thing supplied us; and at eight o'clock distinctly heard the 

 evening gun on board the Vincennes, at Hilo, a distance of fifteen 

 miles. While we were at the crater of Kilauea, the men reported to 

 me that they had heard it ; but I was then under the belief that the 

 sound was occasioned by an explosion in the volcano. The whole 

 country between Hilo and the southeast point of Hawaii, is covered 

 with lava; which may account for the distinct transmission of sound, 

 for so great a distance, from a small howitzer. 



One of the men shot a beautiful white owl, and brought it to my 

 tent, where Dr. Judd laid it down, to all appearance quite dead; a 

 few minutes afterwards, to our surprise, it flew away, having been 

 only stunned. I regretted its loss ; for it was a beautiful specimen, 

 and one that we had been endeavouring to obtain for some days past. 



During the night, one of the heaviest rains I had experienced in 

 the island, fell ; but the morning was bright and clear, — every thing 

 seemed to be rejoicing around, particularly the singing-birds, for the 

 variety and sweetness of whose notes Hawaii is distinguished. 



Previous to our departure, all the tenantry, if so I may call them, 

 came to pay their respects, or rather to take a look at us. We had 

 many kind wishes, and a long line of attendants, as we wended our 

 way among the numerous taro-patches of the low grounds, towards 

 Puna ; and thence along the sea-coast towards the place where the 

 lava entered the sea, at Nanavalie. The whole population of this 

 section of the country was by the wayside, which gave me an oppor- 

 tunity of judging of their number : this is much larger than might be 

 supposed from the condition of the country, for with the exception of 



VOL. IV. 51 



