230 H A W A 1 1. 



grasses. Against the cliff, which is perpendicular, the sea breaks 

 with great violence. 



Mr. Brackenridge succeeded in procuring a few shells, among 

 which were some Patellas, a Nerita, a Trochus, and Chiton. He 

 estimated the distance from the volcano to the sea at fourteen miles, 

 in a south-southwest direction. 



He left the sea after two o'clock, and did not reach the volcano 

 until eight or nine in the evening, having been obliged to feel his 

 way back with a pole, to avoid the rents. This part of the island is 

 uninhabitable, and not a single native was seen during the whole day. 

 A few wild-cats and one goat were all the animals that were seen. 



On the morning of the 23d, Messrs. Brinsmade, Drayton, Bracken- 

 ridge, and Midshipman Elliott, took their leave of the Recruiting- 

 Station, with an allowance of two biscuits. After a very fatiguing 

 walk, they reached the volcano at dark. Midshipman Elliott the 

 next morning departed for Hilo, with my despatches for the ship. 



On Christmas-day, the ingenuity of the consul procured a turkey 

 for the party, which was trussed and cooked in a steam-vent by 

 one of the natives. 



Having procured guides and natives to carry the provisions which 

 they had obtained from those going to the mountain, they concluded 

 to leave the volcano on the 28th, for the lava plain. They first struck 

 it the same evening, but not having time to halt, they passed to 

 Panau, a distance of nine miles, and on their way found several very 

 interesting mosses and ferns. 



After passing the night at Panau, on the morning of the 3ist, they 

 set off for the first outbreak of May 30th, 1840. 



The first flow of lava which they saw was that to the eastward of 

 Moku-opuhi : it consisted of a bed of smooth lava in the centre, 

 with many cracks, and here and there sulphur strewed around, from 

 which the fumes were issuing in great quantities. Pieces of pumice 

 as large as a man's head were not uncommon, and of the colour of 

 ashes. These extended about three miles in length, by one-third of 

 a mile in width. This stream of lava was fifteen feet above the 

 general level, and appeared to have been vomited forth through a 

 chain of vents in a highly heated state, spreading destruction 

 around, and leaving not a vestige of the forest remaining, although it 

 covered a space of about two miles square. Scoria which had been 

 pressed or had run off to the edges, had overthrown all the bushes 



