MAUI. 271 



species, which is only found at high altitudes. From the cave to the 

 summit they found shrubby plants, consisting of Epacris, Vaccinium, 

 Edwardsia, Compositee, and various rubiaceous plants. 



On their arrival at the edge of the crater, on the summit, the clouds 

 were driving with great velocity through it, and completely concealed 

 its extent. The height, as ascertained by the barometer, was ten 

 thousand two hundred feet. The driving of the sleet before the 

 strong gale soon affected the missionaries and native students, the 

 latter of whom, for the first time, felt the effects of cold. The limit- 

 line of woods was ascertained to be at six thousand five hundred feet. 



Some sandal wood-bushes were noticed about five hundred feet above 

 the cave. Above the cave, the ground assumed a more stony appear- 

 ance, and the rock became now and then more visible, which had not 

 before been the case. Where the rock was exposed, it was found to 

 be lava, more or less vesicular, but no regular stream was observed. 

 The surface of the lava appeared to be more thickly covered with 

 earth than that of Mauna Kea, and consequently a greater proportion 

 of soil existed, as well as a thick coating of gravel. Near the summit, 

 bullock-tracks were observed, and likewise those of wild dogs, but no 

 other animals were seen except a few goats. 



The crater of Haleakala, if so it may be called, is a deep gorge, 

 open at the north and east, forming a kind of elbow : the bottom of it, 

 as ascertained by the barometer, was two thousand seven hundred 

 and eighty-three feet below the summit peak, and two thousand and 

 ninety-three feet below the wall. Although its sides are steep, yet a 

 descent is practicable at almost any part of it. The inside of the 

 crater was entirely bare of vegetation, and from its bottom arose some 

 large hills of scoria and sand : some of the latter are of an ochre-red 

 colour at the summit, with small craters in the centre. All bore the 

 appearance of volcanic action, but the natives have no tradition of an 

 eruption. It was said, however, that in former times the dread goddess 

 Pele had her habitation here, but was driven out by the sea, and then 

 took up her abode on Hawaii, where she has ever since remained. 

 Can this legend refer to a time when the volcanoes of Maui were in 

 activity, and those of Hawaii quiet ? 



The gravel that occurred on the top was composed of small angular 

 pieces of cellular lava, resembling comminuted mineral coal. The 

 rock was of the same character as that seen below, containing irregu- 

 lar cavities rather than vesicles. Sometimes grains of chrysolite and 



