THROUGH HAWAII. 
161 
reached the top, and united with the liquid lava there. 
It was evident that the lava had still continued to how, 
along the outside of the arch thus formed, into the 
plain below, as we observed, in several places, the 
courses of unbroken streams, from the top of the cliff to 
the bed of smooth lava, that covered the beach for 
several miles. The space at the bottom between the 
ancient rocks and more recently formed lava, was from 
six to twelve feet. On one side the lava rose, perpen¬ 
dicular and smooth, shewing distinctly the different and 
variously coloured masses of ancient lava of which it 
was composed ; some of a bright scarlet, others brown 
and purple. The whole pile appeared to have under¬ 
gone since its formation the effects of violent heat. 
The cracks and hollows, horizontally between the dif¬ 
ferent strata, or obliquely through them, were filled 
with lava of a florid red colour, and much less porous 
than the general mass. This last kind of lava must 
have been brought to a state of most perfect liquefac¬ 
tion, as it had filled up every crevice that was more 
than half an inch wide. It appeared highly glazed, 
and in some places we could discover small round peb- 
ples, from the size of a hazel-nut to that of a hen’s egg, 
of the same colour, and having the same vitreous cover¬ 
ing, yet seeming to have remained solid, while the liquid 
lava, with which they were mixed, had been forced by 
subterranean fire into all the fissures of the ancient rock. 
The pile on the other side, formed by the dripping 
of the liquid lava from the upper edge of the rocks, 
presented a striking contrast, but not a less interesting 
sight. It was generally of a dark purple or jet black 
colour, glittering in the rays of the sun, as if glazed 
over with a beautiful vitreous varnish, 
Y 
