6 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
think, exceeds their actual elevation, and the 
peaks of Mouna Kea, in the opinion of those of 
our number who have ascended its summit, are 
not more than 1000 feet high. But admitting the 
snow to remain permanent on the mountains of 
the torrid zone at the height of 14,600 feet., the 
altitude of Mouna Kea and Mouna Roa is probably 
not less than 15,000 feet. 
The base of these mountains is, at the distance 
of a few miles from the sea shore, covered with 
trees; higher up, their sides are clothed with 
bushes, ferns, and alpine plants; but their sum¬ 
mits are formed of lava, partly decomposed, yet 
destitute of every kind of verdure. 
There are a few inland settlements on the east 
and north-west parts of the island, but, in general, 
the interior is an uninhabited wilderness. The 
heart of Hawaii, forming a vast central valley 
between Mouna Roa, Mouna Kea, and Mouna 
Huararai, is almost unknown; no road leads across 
it from the east to the western shore, but it is 
reported, by the natives who have entered it, to 
be “ bristled with forests of ohia,” or to exhibit 
vast tracts of sterile and indurated lava. The cir¬ 
cumstance of large flocks of wild geese being fre¬ 
quently seen in the mountains, would lead to the 
supposition that there must be large ponds or lakes 
valier de Borda. The peaks of Momia-Kaah appeared 
to be about half a mile high; and as they are entirely 
covered with snow, the altitude of their summits cannot 
be less than 18,400 feet. But it is probable that both 
these mountains may be considerably higher; for in in¬ 
sular situations, the effects of the warm sea air must 
necessarily remove the line of snow, in equal lati¬ 
tudes, to a greater height than where the atmosphere is 
chilled on all sides by an immense tract of perpetual 
snow.” 
