THROUGH HAWAII. 
211 
as we could conveniently carry back to our lodgings, 
we returned to our guide, whom we found waiting at 
the spot where we first entered the hollow. 
As he was a resident in Kapapala, and owned a small 
garden near, we endeavoured to learn from him some¬ 
thing of the history of the phenomenon before us. He 
told us that the two large chasms were formed about 
eleven moons ago; that nothing else had been visible 
till nearly two moons back, when a slight earthquake 
was experienced at Kapapala, and the next time he 
came by, the ground had fallen in, forming the hollow 
that we saw, which also appeared full of fissures. 
About three weeks ago, as he was going to his planta¬ 
tion, he said, he saw a small flame issuing from the 
apertures, and a quantity of smoking lava all around; 
the branches of the trees that stood near were also 
broken and burnt, and several of them still smoking. 
Having gratified our curiosity, we prepared to leave 
this infant volcano, for such to us it appeared. 
Although the surface, at least, of the whole country 
around had a volcanic origin, it seems to have re¬ 
mained undisturbed a number of years, perhaps ages, 
'tfhe lava is decomposed, frequently a foot in depth, 
and is mingled with a prolific soil, fertile in vegetation, 
and profitable to its proprietors; and we felt a sort of 
melancholy interest in witnessing the first exhibitions 
of returning action after so long a repose in this mighty 
agent, whose irresistible energies will, probably, at no 
very remote period, spread desolation over a district 
now smiling in verdure, repaying the toils, and glad¬ 
dening the heart, of the industrious cultivator. 
Ponahohoa, the place we had visited, is situated in 
the district of Kapapala, in the north-east part of the 
