466 



DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTS. 



manes-like, bis, extending above this Station ; Hyimum ?, a fine species, 

 growing in a cave just above this Station; and gen. Muse, growing in 

 company in the same cave. 



The Sixth morning, I left the tent at an early hour, apprehending 

 no difficulty in procuring a supply of water ; from the very heavy rain 

 throughout a great part of the preceding night; but there was not a 

 speck of moisture visible, the lava-surface being everywhere as dry as 

 though it had not been rained on for months. Mr. Drayton, Mr. 

 Brackenridge, and others, who had returned from the summit, pro- 

 ceeded down the mountain. In continuing the ascent, I soon joined 

 Dr. Judd, and we kept on together. 



At the elevation of ten thousand feet, plants had become exceed- 

 ingly rare ; occurring only in something like the proportion of a single 

 stock to a square mile of surface. At the elevation of 11,000 feet, 

 plants ceased altogether : and a mile beyond, say at the elevation of 

 11,300 feet, we first fell in with patches of snow ; small, indeed, but 

 marking a decided change in climate. At this precise point, our 3d 

 Station was subsequently established ; on account of a supply of water 

 near at hand, in a large pool concealed from view in a cave. We 

 continued on as far as the 2d Station, already established, where we 

 passed the night. 



The Seventh day, we proceeded to the summit : where Capt. Wilkes 

 had found a single specimen of a moss, gen. Muse, growing in a slight 

 steam-vent : but so far as my own explorations at difierent times 

 extended, I was unable to find a plant growing within five miles of the 

 summit in any direction ; nor until descending to the already-men- 

 tioned limit of 11,000 feet. It is true, soil is almost entirely wanting; 

 and in the possible absence of rain, the porous lava-surface absorbs 

 at once the melting snow ; the climate being also somewhat arid, very 

 little moisture is deposited in any shape, so that the lava is hardly 

 subject to decomposition. Animal life is of course wanting; the wide 

 expanse of blackened lava-streams recalling the primeval state of our 

 planet ; whose surface must have remained a solitude to this day, but 

 for the interposed vegetable creation. 



Mauna Eoa everywhere preserves the regularity of a vast gently- 

 rising dome ; whose curve is so gradual, that the summit includes a 

 very extensive area; though hardly sufficient to limit "a separate 

 horizon." The most elevated point, not at first very obvious, was 

 ascertained by Capt. Wilkes to be " 13,463 feet" above the sea. The 



