AFRO-INDIAN REGIONS. 



477 



mit of the dividing ridge, 7417 feet" above the sea. We had now on 

 our right a steep wall-like ascent of fifteen hundred feet to the brink 

 of the cleft; and surmounting this, we reached the cave at 5 p.m., after 

 a very fixtiguing, yet profitable excursion. 



On the 28th, I walked around the Southwestern flank of the moun- 

 tain, and descended below the level of the cave a thousand feet or so; 

 but the fog prevented any distant view in this direction. Some shal- 

 low ravines contained the same kind of compact argillaceous rock pre- 

 viously observed on Mauna Kea, and in like manner retaining water 

 in diminutive pools : but the rock-surface was everywhere less absorb- 

 ent than the massive lava of Mauna Kea, and little depressions con- 

 taining water occurred all the way to the summit. 



On the 1st of March, Rev. Mr. Andrews, Mr. Brackenridge, and 

 myself, proceeded direct to the volcanic cleft ; down which, the descent 

 of two thousand feet occupied precisely an hour. From the prevalence 

 here of loose earth and gravelly fragments, both on the sides and 

 bottom, the interior presented much of the aspect of a Desert valley ; 

 especially as plants were extremely rare. The lava-streams were 

 now found to have come from the Southwest angle of the cleft ; and 

 flowing down upon the platform, had divided to the right and left; a 

 portion flowing Northward as already described, and the remainder at 

 first Eastward and afterwards Southward to the sea. The hills of 

 fragmentary lava, five or six hundred feet high, and so conspicuous 

 from above, were now found to rest entirely upon the surface of the 

 lava streams. After proceeding about four miles Eastward, we re- 

 traced our steps part way, and ascended the Southern wall. From the 

 brink above, the whole Southern bend of the cleft was in sight ; and 

 the lava issuing from it was traceable by its blackness and the fresher 

 green of the vegetable growth on its surface, to its entrance into the 

 sea; where it had made a very considerable encroachment of addi- 

 tional land. " There is no tradition among the natives of an eruption 

 from this volcanic cleft; but one or two centuries ago, a lava-stream 

 burst forth from the Southwestern base of the mountain, and to this 

 day retains its blackness, as though of recent date." Neither pj^mice, 

 nor capillary olmdian were met with by us upon this island. 



We returned along the margin or brink, ascending rapidly; but in 

 place of passing over the summit, kept around to the Southward, to 

 some scoria-hills, of the series said to extend all the way down the 

 Southern think of the mountain. A less distinct series of about four 



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