472 



DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTS. 



, The Second day, we continued along the dry mountain-torrent, the 

 ascent having become decidedly more steep. At first, co it glomerate 

 alternated with the compact rock ; that occurring at intervals in the 

 bed of the torrent, preserves in its shallow cavities a supply of water 

 all the way up the mountain : being the same kind of compact rock 

 already mentioned, as occurring at the apex of Mauna Roa. At the 

 end of three miles, we arrived at a small shallow cave, which, as 

 affording some shelter, was selected as our resting-place for the night : 

 being situated a little above the limit of scattered low trees and of 

 firewood, and abreast of the lowest of the two large scoria-heaps, so 

 conspicuous on the flank of the mountain. Towards noon, I proceeded 

 alone farther up the mountain-slope, which soon again became more 

 gentle. I kept on half a mile beyond the Red Hill, the uppermost of 

 the two large scoria-heaps ; but the terminal hillocks, now only about 

 two miles distant, were concealed from view by clouds ; a driving 

 snow-storm having set in, which accompanied me most of the way 

 back to the cave; where I arrived two hours before sunset. Most of 

 the natives had retired to a larger cave, three-fourths of a mile 

 lower down. The snow-white sea of clouds had commenced gathering 

 far below us at the usual level around the mountain; and in the 

 evening, the heaped-up drifts over the Great Crater were lighted up, 

 as previously witnessed on Mauna Roa. 



At daybreak on the Third day, the illuminated heap of clouds 

 looked lurid and I'uddy : and at sunrise, with Mr. Brackenridge and 

 one of the guides, I set out for the summit of the mountain. On 

 reaching the terminal scoria-hills, some hundreds of feet high, they 

 were found to be composed in great part of small fragments, almost 

 like gravel, giving way under foot ; and the sides being steep, the 

 ascent proved fatiguing, especially as the wind was blowing furiously. 

 On the summit of the First scoria-hill, we rested for some moments 

 under the shelter of a heap of stones, which some one had placed 

 there; but so intense was the cold, that water froze in the bright sun- 

 shine ; it is true, the time was rather early, more than an hour before 

 mid-day. The distant summit of Mauna Roa was more covered with 

 snow than usual ; and notwithstanding all that has been said on the sub- 

 ject, the opening of the terminal crater was plainly visible. We next 

 ascended the Middle scoria-hill, the highest of the three; but a Fourth 

 now made its appearance, detached, a little to the South of West, and 

 regarded by Mr. Brackenridge as higher than the one on which we 



