240 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
of vengeance from this goddess of the volcano, of 
whose power and displeasure they had manifested 
the greatest apprehensions ever since our approach 
to Kirauea. 
At the north end of the crater we left our pro¬ 
visions and baggage that we had, and went in 
search of water, which we had been informed was 
to be found in the neighbourhood of a number of 
columns of vapour, which we saw rising in a 
northerly direction. About half a mile distant, 
we found two or three small pools of perfectly 
sweet, fresh water; a luxury which, notwith¬ 
standing the reports of the natives, we did not 
expect to meet with in these regions of fire. It 
proved a most grateful refreshment to us after 
travelling about twenty miles over a dry barren 
desert. 
These pools appeared great natural curiosities. 
The surface of the ground in the vicinity was per¬ 
ceptibly warm, and rent by several deep irregular 
chasms, from which steam and thick vapours con¬ 
tinually arose. In some places these chasms were 
two feet wide, and from them a volume of steam 
ascended, which was immediately condensed by 
the cool mountain air, and driven, like drizzling 
rain, into hollows in the compact lava on the lee¬ 
ward side of the chasms. The pools, which were 
six or eight feet from the chasms, were surrounded 
and covered by flags, rushes, and tall grass. 
Nourished by the moisture of the vapours, these 
plants flourished luxuriantly, and, in their turn, 
sheltered the pools from the heat of the sun, and 
prevented evaporation. We expected to find the 
apprehensive of some mischance, and were very uneasy as 
often as we made the least attempt to disturb the sulphu¬ 
reous earth/'— Forst . Voy, vol. ii. pnge 308. 
