120 MAUN A LOA. 



right. The day was warm, with a bright sun ; and when we passed 

 pools of wafer standing in the lava rock, as we frequently did, the 

 natives would rush into them like overheated dogs, and seemed to 

 enjoy the temporary coolness brought about by the evaporation. 



The lava had a peculiar metallic appearance, and had evidently run 

 over the surface in a melted state. The natives call this smooth kind 

 pahoihoi, which is the same word they use for satin. This, after 

 running smooth for some distance, would assume a wrinkled or wavy 

 form, showing that the mass had been pressed forward, in cooling. 

 The melted rocky stream, in places where the descent was rapid, 

 appears to have been urged forward with some velocity, and as the 

 surface cooled and became fixed, the melted matter has run out from 

 beneath, leaving a kind of trench or tunnel, which, in some places, is of 

 considerable size. The localities of the tunnels are pointed out by the 

 hollow sound experienced in passing over them. 



At 3 p. m., we reached Kapuauhi, which consists of a few houses, 

 and is about fifteen miles from Olaa. The temperature, on our arrival, 

 was found to be 80° in the shade, while in the sun it stood at 84°; the 

 whole extent around was black lava; indeed there was no place where 

 we could pitch a tent of six feet by eight, and as it looked like rain 

 we concluded to occupy one of the houses that was offered to us; but 

 it taught us a lesson we remembered for some time, for all our blankets 

 and clothes became infested with fleas, and those of the most voracious 

 kind. 



Dr. Judd, finding that some of the natives were overloaded, sent 

 back for a reserve of thirty men, to overtake us as soon as possible. 

 Several of the packages were unwieldy, and others, though small, 

 were much complained of; among the latter was a small iron mortar, 

 or eprouvette, which I was taking up to try some experiments on 

 sound, in the rarefied air : this had been a great pest to the natives, 

 and they had made every endeavour to get rid of it. As there was 

 some difficulty in getting our host awake, and ready for a move 

 betimes, it was proposed that the mortar should be fired at early 

 dawn : although small, yet with a well-adjusted plug driven into it, it 

 made the noise of a great gun. It was accordingly fired the next 

 morning to the wonder of all, and soon aroused the mob. Such was 

 the effect this had upon the bearers of it, that no more complaints 

 were uttered, and they joyfully shouldered their burden, having be- 

 come men of great consequence in the eyes of their fellows, and sub- 

 jects of the day's talk. Many now would have exchanged loads for 

 the honour of being the bearers of it. 



