272 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
ridges of volcanic rock round the greater part of 
this side of the island. Down this we descended, 
by following the course of a rugged current of 
ancient lava, for about 600 feet perpendicular 
depth, when we arrived at the plain below, which 
was one extended sheet of lava, without shrub or 
bush, stretching to the north and south as far as 
the eye could reach, and from four to six miles 
across, from the foot of the mountain to the sea. 
The natives gave us the fabulous story of the com¬ 
bat between Pele and Tamapuaa, as the origin of 
this flood of lava. This vast tract of lava was 
black, shining, and cellular, though not very brittle, 
and was more homogeneous than that which covered 
the southern shores of the island. We crossed it 
in about two hours, and arrived at Kearakomo, 
the second village in the division of Puna. We 
stopped at the first house we came to, and asked 
for water. The natives brought us a calabash-full, 
of which we drank most hearty draughts, though 
it was little better than the water of the sea, from 
which it had percolated through the vesicles of 
the lava into hollows from nine to twelve feet 
distant from the ocean. It barely quenched our 
thirst while we were swallowing it, but it was the 
best we could procure, and we could hardly refrain 
from drinking at every hollow to which we came. 
After walking about a mile along the beach, we 
came to a house, which our guide pointed out as 
our lodgings. It was a miserable hut, and we 
asked if we could not find better accommodation : 
as we intended to spend the Sabbath in the 
village ? Mauae told us it was the only one in 
the place that was not crowded with people, and 
he thought the most comfortable one we could 
procure. 
