THROUGH HAWAII. 235 
tions, spherical masses of fusing lava, or bright ignited 
stones. 
The dark bold outline of the perpendicular and 
jutting rocks around, formed a striking contrast with 
the luminous lake below, whose vivid rays, thrown on 
the rugged promontories, and reflected by the over¬ 
hanging clouds, combined to complete the awful gran¬ 
deur of the imposing scene. We sat gazing at the 
magnificent phenomena for several hours, when we 
laid ourselves down on our mats, in order to observe 
more leisurely their varying aspect; for, although we 
had travelled upwards of twenty miles since the morn¬ 
ing, and were both weary and cold, we felt but little 
disposition to sleep. This disinclination was probably 
increased by our proximity to the yawning gulf, and 
our conviction that the detachment of a fragment from 
beneath the overhanging pile on which we were reclin¬ 
ing, or the slightest concussion of the earth, which 
every thing around indicated to be no unfrequent 
occurrence, would perhaps precipitate us, amidst the 
horrid crash of falling rocks, into the burning lake 
immediately before us. 
The natives, who probably viewed the scene with 
thoughts and feelings somewhat different from ours, 
seemed, however, equally interested. They sat most 
of the night talking of the achievements of P61d, and 
regarding with a superstitious fear, at which we were 
not surprised, the brilliant exhibition. They consider¬ 
ed it the primeval abode of their volcanic deities. The 
conical craters, they said, were their houses, where 
they frequently amused themselves by playing at Ko- 
nane ;* the roaring of the furnaces and the crackling 
* The game resembling drafts, described page 202. 
