23S H A W A 1 1. 



From Kaimo, Dr. Pickering passed along tlie coast, which is formed 

 of lava, that breaks off suddenly, and leaves a perpendicular cliff, 

 from thirty to sixty feet high, against v^hich the sea breaks with 

 violence. Along this coast houses are rarelj^ to be met with, and 

 when they are seen, it is at those points where, from accident or other 

 causes, there is a breach in the lava. 



Owing to the porous nature of the lava, the dwellers on the shore 

 are at times much distressed for water, and resort to various devices 

 to obtain it. In some places they use the leaves of the ti plant (Dra- 

 caena) fastened together; also boards set obliquely, with calabashes 

 underneath, to catch the drops of rain ; and in other cases, the cala- 

 bashes are set to obtain the drippings from the roofs. 



Dr. Pickering reached Panau, and afterwards the patches of the 

 recent eruption which lie in the vicinity of the pit-crater of Alealea- 

 nui, and found them unaltered since they had been seen by me. 

 What seems remarkable, there was no earthquake felt at Hilo before, 

 during the time of, or after the eruption. It has been mentioned, that 

 some slight shocks were felt in the neighbourhood of Nanavalie, but 

 they are reported as being very frequent and violent at Kealakeakua 

 Bay, on the opposite side of the island, though much more remote 

 from the scene of destruction than Hilo. 



Two of the missionaries were once on the black ledije, lookinor 

 down on the burning lake, when an earthquake took place which was 

 felt over the whole island : no change took place in the lake, or else- 

 where in the crater, excepting that some pieces of stones were shaken 

 down from the surrounding walls. 



From all the information I could obtain, the causes of the earth- 

 quakes do not appear to be connected wdth the action of the volcanoes. 

 The accounts, however, are contradictory, and depend principally 

 upon native testimony, which is not to be relied on in such observa- 

 tions. It is to be hoped, that the resident missionaries will endeavour 

 to devote a small portion of their time to the interesting phenomena 

 of these eruptions. 



Dr. Pickering reached Kilauea on the 22d of January, when he 

 found the large lake, according to his estimation, still about thirty 

 feet below the rim, to which height it had again risen. If this 

 estimate was accurate, it would prove a rapid formation of lava, for 

 only ten days had elapsed since we had seeia it many feet lower. 

 About 9 p. M. of the same day a large part of the southern bank 



