234 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
Here we threw ourselves down on the sand and 
fragments of lava, stretched out our weary limbs, 
and drank the little water left in our canteens. 
In every direction, we observed a number of 
pieces of spumous lava, of an olive colour, ex¬ 
tremely cellular, and as light as sponge. They 
appeared to have been drifted by the wind into 
the hollows which they occupied. The high bluff 
rocks on the north-west side of the volcano were 
distinctly seen; the smoke and vapours driven 
past us, and the scent of the fumes of sulphur, 
which, as we approached from the leeward, we 
had perceived ever since the wind sprung up, 
becoming very strong, indicated our proximity to 
Kirauea. 
Impatient to view it, we arose, after resting about 
half an hour, and pursued our journey. In the 
way, we saw a number of low bushes bearing beau¬ 
tiful red and yellow berries in clusters, each berry 
being about the size and shape of a large currant. 
The bushes on which they grew were generally 
low, seldom reaching two feet in height; the 
branches small and clear, leaves alternate, obtuse 
with a point, and serrated; the flower was mono- 
petalous, and, on being examined, determined the 
plant to belong to the class decandria, and order 
monogynia. The native name of the plant is 
ohelo. The berries looked tempting to persons 
experiencing both hunger and thirst, and we 
eagerly plucked and ate all that came in our way. 
They are juicy, but rather insipid to the taste. 
As soon as the natives perceived us eating them, 
they called out aloud, and begged us to desist, 
saying we were now within the precincts of Pele’s 
dominions, to whom they belonged, and by whom 
they were rahuiia , (prohibited.) until some had 
