J. D. Dana—LfMistory of the Changes in Kilauea. 489 
the crater had been recently filled with lavas up to the black 
ledge;” and Mr. Goodrich remarks that ‘the black ledge was 
made by the crater’s being filled to that level” (VIa). This 
conclusion was evidently derived from the features of the 
ledge; for this was the first visit of foreigners. Still they may 
have had a hint from the islanders, one of whom in 1826, told 
the Rev. Mr. Bete that ‘after rising a little higher the lava 
would discharge itself toward the sea as formerly by an under- 
ground way. ”” T introduce here (fig. 1) an outline copy of the 
plate in the Journal (1a), and also (fig. 2) of that in the Narra- 
tive (1d), both reduced. They corroborate one another in all 
the main points, though having differences due either to cor- 
rections in England, or to changes suggested by Mr. Hillis. The 
black ledge borders the lower pit around, as in 1840, but is 
very narrow. 
The eruption probably took place between the preceding 
months of March and June. At Ponahohoa in Kapapala, they 
saw (la, p. 117) a large sunken area, 50 feet deep, fissured in 
all directions, besides steaming chasms, and ejections of fresh 
lava, which they were told by the natives of the place were 
made by Pele two moons before; and by natives of Keara- 
komo, five moons before (p. 151). It is added: ‘ Perhaps the 
body of the lava that had filled Kilauea up to the black ledge” 
‘““had been drawn off by this subterranean channel.’* 
2. AFTER THE ERUPTION OF 18238. a. Size of the Crater.— 
The discharge, wherever it took place, was followed in the 
crater by a down plunge of part of the floor, giving Kilauea its 
lower pit and ‘‘ black ledge.” The depth of the lower pit was 
estimated by the Mission party at 300 or 400 feet; and the total 
depth of the crater, 700 to 800, making the former nearly or 
quite half the latter. Mr. Goodrich, who was at the crater with 
the party, and three times afterward before April, 1825, esti- 
mated the whole depth at over 1000 feet, and that of the lower 
pit at 500 (VIa), the latter again half the former. 
Lieut. Malden, R. N., of the Blonde (V, p. 184) made a map 
of the crater (of which the following is a copy reduced one- 
third),t and measured the height of the high northwest wall 
above the black ledge. He states, in a note to Lord Byron’s 
work, that he obtained by triangulation, 8209 feet for the dis- 
tance across from the “ Hut,” the place of encampment, to the 
* It is a favoring fact that Mr. David Douglas in January, 1834, had informa- 
tion from the natives that in 1822 there was a great discharge in the Kapapala 
direction ([X0, p. 170). The same region was fissured and had its small ejections 
of lava at the eruption of Kilauea in 1868, and probably a large outflow off the 
coast. 
+ This copy has the lettering of the original, excepting the title, which is ‘‘A 
plan of the Volcano Peli, in the island of Owhyhee, by Lieut. Malden, R.N., 1825 ;” 
also the east half of Kilauea Iki is omitted. 
