116 
Proceedings of the Royal Society 
sticks. Tumbles were frequent, from which the writer escaped 
unharmed by having a thick pair of dogskin gloves on his hands. 
One of our party, however, a professor from Indiana, managed to 
fall into a crack up to his middle, and got his hands severely cut 
and burnt. 
The view from the top, however, amply repaid the trouble. 
Four lakes of molten lava, the largest some 200 yards in length, 
and of kidney shape, and the others of smaller size, were seen in 
full activity. In the largest lake seven to eight fountains of white 
hot lava were playing up at once to a height of 30 to 40 feet, one 
sometimes stopping and another commencing at a different part of 
the side of the lake. 
The lava in this lake was about 50 feet below the inner edge of 
the crater, and appeared to be slowly advancing toward the tunnels 
from which we had seen it issuing on the road up. The lakes were 
not at the same level, and you might see one brimful and another 
60 to 70 yaids off at a level of some 30 or 40 feet below it. On 
another of the lakes, about 50 yards wide, was a single fountain, 
bursting from a cavern in its side, and throwing lava half-way 
across its surface, while from the roof and sides of the cavern hung 
down lava stalactites. 
After looking at this for some time, the claims of our injured 
friend became so strong, as to oblige us to take him back to the 
crater house, resolved next da}^ to have a more deliberate inspec- 
tion. 
The next day proved wet, but the writer explored his way through 
the driving mist formed by the rain coming in contact with the 
heated lava, the only disagreeable incident being his getting to 
the leeward of a blow-hole, and having to run to get clear of the 
suffocating sulphur vapours. This blow-hole was about the size of 
a man’s body, and as you went forward to it you heard a gurgling 
sound beneath. Smoke was coming out in considerable volumes, 
and on looking in, the sides were seen to enlarge beneath and be 
at a white heat. 
Having at length got seated comfortably upon an upheaved 
block of lava about 20 feet above the larger lake, and 8 to 10 yards 
from its side, a new fountain sprung up suddenly from the side of 
the lake quite close at hand, which immediately forced a retreat to 
