210 
MISSIONARY TOUR 
a mile, we came to a place where the chasm was about 
three feet across, at its upper edge, though apparently 
much wider below, and about forty feet in length; and 
from which a large quantity of lava had been recently 
vomited. It had been thrown in detached semifluid 
pieces to a considerable distance in every direction, 
and from both sides of the opening had flowed down in 
a number of smaller streams. 
The appearance of the tufts of long grass through 
which it had run; the scorched leaves still remaining 
on one side of a tree, while the other side was reduced 
to charcoal, and the strings of lava hanging from some 
of the branches like stalactites; together with the fresh 
appearance of the shrubs, partially overflowed, and 
broken down,—convinced us the lava had been thrown 
out only a few days before. It was highly scoriaceous, 
of a different kind from the ancient bed of which the 
whole valley was composed, being of a jet-black colour, 
and bright variegated lustre, brittle, and porous; while 
the ancient lava was of a gray or reddish colour, com¬ 
pact, and broken with difficulty. We found the heat 
to vary considerably in different parts of the surface; 
and at one of the places, where a quantity of lava had 
been thrown out, and from which a volume of smoke 
continually issued, we could stand several minutes to¬ 
gether, without inconvenience. We at first attributed 
this to the subterranean fires having become extinct 
beneath, but the greater thickness of the crust of ancient 
lava, at that place, afterwards appeared to us the most 
probable cause, as the volumes of smoke and vapour 
which constantly ascended, indicated the vigorous ac¬ 
tion of fire below. I took a drawing of this place; and 
when we had collected as many specimens of the lava 
