MAUNA LOA, 131 



water. On our arrival at it, we found that the natives, who had pre- 

 ceded us, after supplying themselves had emptied out the rest. 



Our route was taken at first and for a few miles in a due west line, 

 for the top of Mauna Loa, over the extensive plain surrounding the 

 volcano ; it then deviated to the southward, over an ancient lava-bed, 

 very much broken, that appeared never to have been traversed before. 

 We now became for the first time acquainted with clinkers. To 

 describe these, it is merely necessary to say, they are like the scoria 

 from a foundry, only instead of being the size of the fist, they are from 

 one to ten feet square, and armed on all sides with sharp points ; they 

 are for the most part loose, and what makes them still more dangerous, 

 is that a great deal of the vitreous lava is among them. Of the origin 

 of these immense masses and their extent, I shall have occasion to 

 speak hereafter : suffice it for the present to say, there never was more 

 difficult or unpleasant ground to travel over. 



Our guide Puhano of Puna, who we understood had accompanied 

 Douglass and Lowenstern on their ascents, now took the lead, but it 

 soon appeared that he knew little of the route. I therefore, in company 

 with Mr. Brinsmade, took the lead, compass in hand ; and after walking 

 over the broken and torn-up ground, we turned again towards the hill- 

 side, and began a rapid ascent through a belt of long grass, where the 

 rock was covered with white clay, and seldom to be seen. This part 

 appeared to have suffered much from drought; for in passing along we 

 came to several narrow and dry water-courses, but met with no water. 



At two o'clock we had nearly reached the upper limit of the woods, 

 and as the clouds began to pass over, and obscure the path, we deter- 

 mined to halt and encamp. We made several fires along the route, in 

 order to guide those behind, and as a mark for the stragglers; bushes 

 were also broken off, and their tops laid in the direction we were going, 

 by the natives; and I likewise had the trees blazed, as a further indica- 

 tion, well known to our men. Chronometer sights were taken here, 

 and the altitude by barometer was five thousand and eighty-six feet. 



During the day, the reason that had induced the natives to empty 

 the water out from the canoe, became evident in their anxiety to sell 

 us water. My friend the consul had hired an especial bearer for his 

 calabash of water, determining that he would have a sufficient supply. 

 By our watching and cautioning the old man who had it in charge, 

 he became somewhat alarmed and unsteady, as I thought also from 

 fatigue. When he had arrived within a short distance of the camp, 

 he stumbled on a smooth place, fell, and broke the calabash into 

 numerous pieces. Those who were coming up, seeing the accident, 

 rushed to partake of its contents, but the fluid quickly disappeared in 



