298 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
perpendicular rocks, forming the sides of the 
hollow, were adorned with tufts of grass, or 
blooming pendulous plants, while, along the nar¬ 
row and verdant border of the lake at the bottom, 
the bread-fruit, the kukui, and the ohia trees, 
appeared, with now and then a lowly native hut 
standing beneath their shade. We walked to the 
upper edge of the rocks that form the side of the 
hollow, where we viewed with pleasure this sin¬ 
gularly beautiful scene. The placid surface of 
the lake, disturbed only by the boys and girls 
diving and sporting in its waters, the serpentine 
walks among the luxuriant gardens along its 
margin, the tranquil occupations of the inha¬ 
bitants, some weaving mats, others walking cheer¬ 
fully up and down the winding paths among the 
steep rocks, the sound of the cloth-beating mallet 
from several directions, and the smiling gaiety of 
the whole, contrasted strongly with the panorama 
we had recently beheld at Kirauea. Yet we felt 
persuaded, that this now cheerful spot had once 
presented a similar spectacle, less extended, but 
equally grand and appalling. 
The traditions of the people informed us, that 
the valley itself was originally a crater, the in¬ 
dented rocks along the outer ridge forming its 
rim, and the opening towards the sea its mouth. 
But had tradition been silent, the volcanic nature 
of the rocks, which were basaltic, or of compact 
lava in some parts and cellular in others, the 
structure of the large basin in which we were 
standing, and the deep hollow in the centre which 
we were viewing, would have carried conviction to 
the mind of every beholder, that it had once been 
the seat of volcanic fires. We asked several na¬ 
tives of the place, if they had any account of the 
