KILAUEA. 183 



in escaping without any broken legs. Almost all the party had their 

 feet more or less bruised, and the skin knocked off, by slipping through 

 the old and weak crust. Walking over clinkers is, even when one 

 can see the way, irksome and dangerous, but passing over them when 

 concealed, is particularly so. We all felt ourselves heartily tired, and 

 I am satisfied that scarcely any thing would have tempted any of us to 

 pass over the route again. What made it more provoking was the 

 the ease and facility with which the natives traversed it. 



Towards sunset we had a drizzling rain, and finding it impossible to 

 reach Pahuhali, we determined to encamp a mile or two beyond the 

 Kaimo road, at the head of the eruption. When this was done, we 

 found ourselves with little or nothing to eat in the camp. A messenger 

 was therefore forthwith despatched to Pahuhali, and after waiting 

 anxiously, and speculating on his success, we were gratified by the 

 light of distant torches, and soon found ourselves supplied with all that 

 the land afforded — pig and taro. The men got a good supper, but 

 they had little sleep, for it rained hard and they were completely wet ; 

 although protected by tents, we found ourselves floating in water. 



Kalalua is the largest cone-crater in this part of the island ; and 1 

 was informed it had thrown out lava, but I had not time to examine it. 

 Appearances indicated that the native account was true ; the streams 

 of pahoihoi, on its flanks, appeared to come from its crater. The 

 height is one thousand one hundred feet. 



The altitude of our station above the sea, was one thousand two 

 hundred and forty-four feet. The thermometer stood at 70°. 



Early on the 21st, we began to examine the locality, and found that 

 we were a short distance below the upper part of the eruption. It had 

 begun first in a kind of point, and accumulating there, had stretched 

 itself out on either side, gathering strength as it went, until after pro- 

 ceeding about two miles it became a torrent of fluid rock, from ten to 

 fifteen feet in thickness, w T hich swept every thing before it, overlaying 

 the soil, and destroying all the vegetation that came in its way. 



After a northeast course of three miles, we entered upon the lava 

 stream, where it was about a mile wide, resembling a river congealed 

 at once into stone, leaving all its flowings and eddies distinctly marked 

 and perpetuated. It was covered here and there with the fallen 

 timber, appearing in some instances as if it had been bleached ; only 

 a hole was left to mark where each tree had stood, the stump having 

 been entirely consumed. These holes were frequently found as much 

 as twelve or fifteen feet in depth. Of their origin there can be no 

 doubt, and my supposition is, that by the time the tree had been burnt 

 off, the rocky stream became fixed, which would account for the tree 



