DIMENSIONS OF THE CRATER. 253 
as any appeared ; and even to awake us, should 
we happen to be asleep. At the same time we 
told them, that when we considered their igno¬ 
rance of the true God, and of the causes by which 
the action of volcanoes was sustained, we were not 
surprised at their supposing them to be the habi¬ 
tations of their deities, and their operations those 
of supernatural beings. As far as their language 
and mental capability admitted, we endeavoured 
to explain some of the causes of volcanic fire; and 
illustrated them by the force of gunpowder, with 
the effects of which the natives are familiar; 
assuring them that the expansive force of steam is 
much greater than that of gunpowder. Our prin¬ 
cipal solicitude, however, was to lead their minds 
to God, who created the world, and whose almighty 
power controls the elements of nature in all their 
diversified operations; but of whom, though they 
beheld the wondrous works of his hand, they were 
lamentably ignorant. 
After two or three hours’ sleep, we arose, before 
it was day, and, gathering round our fire, sang our 
morning hymn of praise, in which we were joined 
by the natives who were with us. The sun had 
now risen, and, as we had no provisions left, we 
felt it necessary to prepare for our departure. 
Mr. Goodrich walked along the north side of the 
crater, in order to enable us to form as accurate 
an opinion as possible of its actual dimensions; 
and, from the observations of Mr. Goodrich and 
Mr. Thurston, as well as those the rest of our 
party made when we walked along the north and 
east sides, we think the crater is not less than 
five, or five-and-a-half, miles in circumference.* 
* The following extract of a letter from Mr. Chamberlain 
is copied from a recent American publication 
