MAUNA LOA. 121 



The height we had now attained was two thousand one hundred 

 and eighty-four feet ; the thermometer, 72° ; the lowest temperature in 

 the night, 58°. A slight shower of rain fell during the night. 



At 8 a. m., we left Kapuauhi, or what our company called " Flea 

 Hall," after having passed a most comfortless night. Nothing could 

 be more annoying than the swarms of fleas that attacked us, and I 

 believe all the native houses are thus unpleasantly infested. In about 

 three hours we reached the Okea tree, known as the boundary of the 

 territory of Pele, or the goddess of the volcano. In bygone days no 

 native dared venture beyond it without an offering to Pele, under 

 penalty of her vengeance. Many strange traditions are told of her, 

 and of the combats she waged with the ancient warriors of the island, 

 in which she destroyed whole armies by her " floods of fire." Dr. 

 Judd and myself, while at the volcano, listened to one of these long 

 traditions from a young man named Kiwe, a descendant of one of the 

 " tradition bearers," who were employed specially to hand down the 

 traditions in their family, and were thus the depositaries of the oral 

 archives of the nation. Kiwe came from Panau, in the neighbour- 

 hood of this district of fire, and we were, of course, very desirous of 

 obtaining any information he could give. As he had come to offer 

 himself as guide, he was sent for to our hut, and was asked to take a 

 seat. Kalumo, the chief scribe, before spoken of, was sent for, and 

 began to question him relative to the traditions. Kiwe began by 

 describing various great chiefs and their genealogies, but nothing 

 relating to their feats or actions, except that the great chief of Papa- 

 pala and the goddess Pele had quarrelled about a surf-board, which 

 ended in his being consumed, after having attempted to cross the fiery 

 lake upon it. Many interrogatories were put to him, but he soon 

 became sullen and refused to answer ; he told us he had discovered 

 our intention, and that he knew we were going to put what he said in 

 a book, that every body might read it, and therefore he would give us 

 no further information. This I hope will be received as a sufficient 

 apology for my not giving the histories and details of these marvellous 

 personages ; for, according to Kiwe, by relating them he would lose 

 his occupation as soon as they were printed. 



Soon after we left Kapuauhi, we met with soil formed upon the lava 

 by volcanic ashes ; the bushes became thicker and more thrifty, rising 

 into small trees ; quantities of strawberry-vines were perceived, but 

 the natives searched in vain for some straggling fruit. The time for 

 its bearing had passed, but they are said to be found in great abun- 

 dance, and of very fine flavour, at the proper season. Okea was the 

 principal wood, and there was some koa (Acacia). A curious plant 



VOL. iv. l 16 



