2 5 8 



HAWAII. 



[letter XXIX. 



_ Last night I thought the Southern Cross out of place ; to- 

 night it seems essential, as Calvary over against Sinai. For 

 Halemaumau involuntarily typifies the necessity which shall 

 consume all evil : and the constellation, pale against its lurid 

 light, the great love and yearning of the Father, " who spared 

 not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all," that, " as in 

 Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." 



Ainepo, Hawaii, June $(A. 



We had a great fright last evening. We had been engaging 

 mules, and talking over our plans with our half-Indian host, 

 when he opened the door and exclaimed, " There's no light 

 on Mauna Loa; the fire's gone out." We rushed out, and: 

 though the night was clear and frosty, the mountain curve rose i 

 against the sky without the accustomed wavering glow upon it. . 

 " Fm afraid you'll have your trouble for nothing," Mr. Oilman 

 unsympathisingly remarked ; " anyhow, its awfully cold up | 

 there," and rubbing his hands, reseated himself at the fire. Mr. : 

 G. and I stayed out till we were half-frozen, and I persuaded 

 myself and him that there was a redder tinge than the moon- 

 light above the summit, but the mountain has given no sign alF 

 day, so that I fear that I " evolved " the light out of my 

 " inner consciousness." 



Mr. Oilman was eloquent on the misfortunes of our prede- 

 cessors, lent me a pair of woollen socks to put on over my 

 gloves, told me privately that if anyone could succeed in getting 

 a guide it would be Mr. Green, and dispatched us at eight this 

 morning with a lurking smile at our " fool's errand," thinly 

 veiled by warm wishes for our success. Mr. Reid has two 

 ranches on the mountain, seven miles distant from each other,; 

 and was expected every hour at the crater-house on his way 

 to Hilo, but it was not known from which he was coming, and! 

 as it appeared that our last hope of getting a guide lay in' 

 securing his goodwill, Mr. G., his servant, and pack-mule took! 

 the lower trail, and I, with a native, a string of mules, and aj 

 pack-horse, the upper. Our plans for intercepting the good- 

 man were well laid and successful, but turned out resultless. 



This has been an irresistibly comical day, and it is just as 

 well to have something amusing interjected between the subli- 

 mities of Kilauea, and whatever to-morrow may bring forth.i 

 When our cavalcades separated, I followed the guide on a blind 

 trail into the little-known regions on the skirts of Mauna Loa.' 



