470 



DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTS. 



white prismatic or acicular crystals. In returning, I did not have 

 time to visit the diminutive crater-like lake with congealed overflows, 

 situated with a second heap of pumice-like scoria, close to the Eastern 

 wall and directly under our Encampment. I ascended out of the 

 crater by the Southwestern slope, which proved a better route than 

 the two others I had tried ; and reached the Encampment after six 

 hours absence. 



The Twelfth day, I descended the mountain to the 3d Station; and 

 then, keeping nearly the same level, proceeded Northward to the 

 uppermost of the scoria hillocks, so conspicuous along the great Crevice 

 of formation and eruption. Some of these hillocks were evidently 

 more than a hundred feet high; the uppermost proved to be about 

 sixty, composed of fragments of cindery scoria, and from its summit, 

 the top of Mauna Haleakala on Maui was in sight. A lava-stream, 

 a mile or more wide and tolerably recent, had issued from the Crevice 

 of formation and eruption ; but was shallow, and in some places irre- 

 gular and indistinct, with much of its surface broken up into soft 

 pumice-like " climpers." In tracing the stream upwards, I fell in 

 with a long narrow strip of what may be termed volcanic ashes; a 

 kind of impalpable powder not seen elsewhere, very light and loose, 

 into which the feet sunk deeply at every step : most of it was whitish, 

 like alum, but minute fragments of pure sulphur were also inter- 

 mixed. After ascending about three miles, the lava-stream could be 

 traced no farther ; the point where it ceased, being, as much as two 

 miles from the terminal crater ; for on directing my steps Southward, 

 and very slightly ascending, I came in sight of the flag of our 2d 

 Station. Descending again to the 3d station, I passed the night in 

 Lieut. Alden's tent : within which, water froze solid as before, the night 

 being clear and still. 



The Thirteenth day, I proceeded down the mountain, directly to- 

 wards the snowy heap of clouds over the Great Crater; presenting by 

 daylight a most chilly aspect. On reaching the level of our 4th Sta- 

 tion, at the distance of half a mile Southward, I turned thitherward, 

 and rested an hour in Lieut. Budd's tent. In the afternoon, I con- 

 tinued down the mountain; and just after sunset, reached the 5th 

 or wooding Station ; where I passed the night. Already in the beds 

 of " climpers," the fragments were observed to be less sharply pointed 

 than above : having undergone partial decomposition, from the increase 

 of moisture and the more frequent rains. 



