14 
MISSIONARY TOUR 
ruginous volcanic rock, many hundred feet in nearly 
perpendicular height, present themselves on both sides 
to his astonished view; while immediately before him, 
he looks down the fearful steep several hundred feet, 
and beholds hills and valleys, trees and cottages, mean¬ 
dering streams and winding paths, cultivated planta¬ 
tions and untrodden thickets, and a varied landscape 
many miles in extent, bounded by lofty mountains on 
the one side, and the white-crested waves of the ocean 
on the other—spread out before him as if by the hand of 
enchantment. I have several times visited this roman¬ 
tic spot, and once climbed the rocky precipice from 
the district of Kolau, on the northern side : the as¬ 
cent is at first gradual and easy, but in two places, 
towards the highest edge, the volcanic rocks appear to 
rise perpendicularly, presenting an even, and apparently 
projecting front, which it seems impossible to ascend; 
but though the passage is thus difficult, and the eleva¬ 
tion of the upper ridge, over which the path leads, is 
from four to five hundred feet above the level land 
below, yet the natives not only pass and repass with¬ 
out much difficulty, but often carry heavy burdens from 
one side to the other. It is reported that a native 
female, on one occasion, carried her husband, who was 
in a state of intoxication, down the precipice in safety ; 
this appears hardly possible, and the story is probably 
one of those fabulous wonders, with which inquiring 
foreigners are often entertained during their stay among 
the islands. On one of my visits, however, I saw a 
party, heavily laden with provisions for the king’s house¬ 
hold, ascend the Pari , and one of them had a pig of no 
very small size fastened on his back, with which he 
climbed the steep, but not without difficulty. 
