272 MAUI. 



hornblende were disseminated. In some spots the rock was observed 

 to be compact, and liad the appearance of argilUte or slate : this 

 variety occurred here chiefly in blocks, but was also seen in situ. It 

 affords the whetstones of the natives, and marks were seen which 

 they had left in procuring them. 



Of the origin of the name, Mauna Haleakala, or the House of the 

 Sun, I could not obtain any information. Some of the residents 

 thought it might be derived from the sun rising from over it to the 

 people of West Maui, which it does at some seasons of the year. 



Having passed the night at the cave, Mr. Baily and young An- 

 drews preferred returning to the coast, rather than longer to endure 

 the cold and stormy weather on the moimtain. 



Our gentlemen made excursions to the crater, and descended into 

 it. The break to the north appears to have been occasioned by the 

 violence of volcanic action within. There does not appear any true 

 lava stream on the north, but there is a cleft or valley which has a 

 steep descent : here the soil was found to be of a spongy nature, and 

 many interesting plants were found, among the most remarkable of 

 which was the arborescent Geranium. 



The floor of the crater, in the north branch, is extremely rough and • 

 about two miles wide at the apex, which extends to the sea. In the 

 ravines there is much compact argillaceous rock, similar to what had 

 been observed on Mauna Kea, retaining, like it, pools of water. The 

 rock, in general, was much less absorbent than on the mountains of 

 Hawaii. 



Mr. Dra3'ton made an accurate drawing or plan of the crater, the 

 distances on which are estimated, but the many cross-bearings serve 

 to make its relative proportions correct. Perhaps the best idea that 

 can be given of the size of the cavity, is by the time requisite to 

 make a descent into it being one hour, although the depth is only 

 two thousand feet. The distance from the middle to either opening 

 was upwards of five miles : that to the eastward was filled with a line 

 of hills of scoria, some of them five or six hundred feet high ; under 

 them was Ij'ing a lava stream, that, to appearance, was nearly hori- 

 zontal, so gradual was its fall. The eastern opening takes a short 

 turn to the southeast, and then descends rapidly to the coast. 



At the bottom were found beds of hard gravel, and among it what 

 appeared to be carbonate of lime, and detached black crystals like 

 augite, but chrysolite was absent. 



