2 7 2 



HA WAIL 



[letter XXIX. 



the blackened crust. The molten river, flowing from the in- 

 candescent lake, had advanced and broadened considerably. 

 That lake itself, whose diameter has been estimated at 800 

 feet, was rose-red and self-illuminated, and the increased noise 

 was owing to the increased force of the fire-fountain, which 

 was playing regularly at a height of 300 feet, with the cross 

 fountains, like wheat-sheaves, at its lower part. These cross- 

 fountains were the colour of a mixture of blood and fire, and 

 the lower part of the perpendicular jets was the same 5 but as 

 they rose and thinned, this colour passed into a vivid rose- 

 red, and the spray and splashes were as rubies and flame 

 mingled. _ For ever falling in fiery masses and fiery foam : 

 accompanied by a thunder-music of its own : companioned only 

 by the solemn stars : exhibiting no other token of its glories 

 to man than the reflection of its fires on mist and smoke ; it 

 burns for the Creator's eye alone, for no foot of mortal can 

 approach it. 



Hours passed as I watched the indescribable glories of the 

 fire-fountain, its beauty of form, and its radiant reflection on 

 the precipices, 800 feet high, which wall it in, and listened 

 to its surges beating, and the ebb and flow of its thunder- 

 music. Then a change occurred. The jets, which for long 

 had been playing at a height of 300 feet, suddenly became 

 quite low, and for a few seconds appeared as cones of fire 

 wallowing in a sea of light ; then with a roar like the sound of 

 gathering waters, nearly the whole surface of the lake was 

 lifted up by the action of some powerful internal force, and its 

 whole radiant mass, rose three times, in one glorious, upward 

 burst, to a height, as estimated by the surrounding cliffs, of 

 600 feet, while the earth trembled, and the moon and stars 

 withdrew abashed into far-off space. After this the fire- 

 fountain played as before. The cold had become intense, 

 n° of frost; and I crept back into the tent: those words 

 occurring to me with a new meaning, " dwelling in the light 

 which no man can approach unto." 



We remained in the tent till the sun had slightly warmed 

 the air, and then attempted to prepare breakfast by the fire ; 

 but no one could eat anything, and the native from Waimea 

 complained of severe headache, which shortly became ago- 

 nizing, and he lay on the ground moaning, and completely 

 prostrated by mountain sickness. I felt extreme lassitude, and 

 exhaustion followed the slightest effort ; but the use of snow 

 to the head produced great relief. The water in our canteens 



