of frightful desolation. The two travellers and their native guide had not long recommenced climbing when their course was suddenly arrested. The infirm lavacrust beneath their feet began to shake ominously, whilst frightful, unearthly sounds from the mouth of the cone pierced their ears. As soon as they were released from the first panic, which transfixed them, they commenced the most rapid retreat in their power along the causeway. But before they had advanced many paces towards the lava-plain, the prelude of mighty blasts changed to cracks of near thunder, and immense masses of hot lava were thrown to a great height. The travellers' immediate danger was that of being crushed by the falling lava, and from this there was no shelter. At first the blocks, issuing perpendicularly, fell back into the crater; but they then began to fall beyond the cone, plunging into the gulf on both sides the causeway, or rolling past the travellers with a terrible impetuosity. Some even fell on their frail bridge, broke through, and were lost beneath it. Through the wild uproar and confusion Mr. Hill and his companions finally reached the firm ledge in safety. Within the general crater, which they explored, there are several more of these volcanic tumuli, some extinct, or active at intervals only. There are on Mauna Loa several other ancient craters, from which, at present, streams of vapour alone issue. The temperature on the mountain varied, during the twenty-four hours, from 17 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The many volcanoes on the sides of the sister heights of Mauna Kea are entirely inactive.

From about the middle of 1856, for nearly three years, the volcano continued in a state of more than usual energy. Rivers of lava rolled downwards, through the forest, and over precipices, destroying the native

kalo grounds, and rendering villages uninhabitable. They found their way through valleys even to the shore, until in deadly struggle with the waves their course was stayed, the temperature of the sea being so raised during the conflict as to kill great quantities of fish.

On the 23rd of January, 1859, a great eruption commenced on Mauna Loa. The lava took a northerly direction, rounded the side of another mountain, and by the 28th, had debouched over the plateau and run some distance into the sea; destroying in its way a small fishing village. At the same time an interruption of the trade-wind took place, probably having some connection with the volcanic action. Sight-seers, who are indigenous to all lands, hastened to Hawaii. They were rewarded by a spectacle of indescribable grandeur. The fire rose 250 feet above the crater, taking, sometimes. the form of a cone of flame; at others, that of a jet de feu, before which all artificial pyrotechnics would have had to pale their ineffectual fires. The descending lava presented a head of incandescence 200 rods in width, curving over the mountain-sides like a blood-red snake, and occasionally leaping sheer down a pali.

On the 9th of February an observing party left the College at Honolulu for the purpose of ascending to the crater. It was one of their number who was killed, as previously mentioned, by falling into a concealed pit in the forest. On the 15th, Capt. Montresor, in H. B. M.'s ship Calypso,' conveyed the king and his suite, from Oahu to Hawaii, to observe the phenomena of the eruption. Its first appearance, seen at night from sea, was that of a star having two rays of light depending from it, a double-comet, in fact,-hanging two-thirds up the mountain-side. Landing at Kaawoloa, or Cook's Bay, the expedition commenced their ascent, and having

passed through a forest seven miles in breadth, emerged on a plateau 5000 feet above the sea-level, affording a good site for observation. By daylight, two great and solemnly moving rivers were seen flowing northward and westward from the crater, with subsidiary streams. Their motion was marked by the sudden ignition of trees, which fell in that short, fiery embrace. The appearance at night is thus described: The immense arena; the intense glare of the flows and fissures covering the mountain-side, to the height of some 6000 feet above us, describing horizontal lines and points of molten mineral matter; the sullen glow above the crater and inferior orifices from which the lava issued; the fire and smoke rising from the far-off streams, and those nearer at hand, in which latter, every now and then, the burning trees threw up their wreathed flames, like the arms of an agonised victim - added to the sort of glimmer and twinkle seen on a frosty night, produced a spectacle of such grandeur that words before it become powerless. If on some mountain-side the largest fire that ever devastated San Francisco could be reproduced, and four or five hundred domes, like that of St. Peter's at Rome when illuminated, be dotted about on the slopes below, the general effect might be that of a very pretty miniature on ivory of the eruption on Mauna Loa. Every five minutes or so, some new chasm or torrent shewed itself, comparable at first to the spark of a glow-worm, but suddenly extending like a train of gunpowder.'

Lest this picture should seem to be somewhat deeply tinged with that excusable exaggeration in which new impressions from great natural phenomena often clothe themselves, we will add to it the more scientific account of the eruption given by Professor Alexander,

of the Punahou College. He describes the jet, when first seen by his party, as 300 feet in height; in form and movement exactly like a fountain, and accompanied by immense columns of steam. By day his companions explored the craters. The principal sources of action were two cones, about 150 feet high, composed of pumice and fragments of lava. The suffocating gases which escaped from the red-hot ventholes of these furnaces, rendered it a matter of danger to approach them. At night, the party encamped by a fresh lava-stream, which served well for all cooking purposes. The next morning they followed the central flow from the lower crater, and reached its outlet from its subterranean channel. Its appearance, there, was that of a pool of blood, a few rods in width, boiling up like a spring, and spouting out thick, clotted masses to the height of ten or twenty feet. On the lower side it poured like a cataract of molten metal at white heat, down a descent of about fifty feet, with a roar like that of a heavy surf. Keeping to windward, and protecting their faces with their hats, they approached the brink. The lava appeared almost as fluid as water, and ran with a velocity which the eye could scarcely follow. For several miles the fiery river was a continuous series of rapids and cataracts. They travelled for three or four hours along the edge of the stream. The open part of the canal was from twenty to fifty feet wide; but the stream was really broader, because both its banks were undermined. to a considerable distance. Over this part of it, flowing beneath their steps, there were frequent openings, through which they could see the rushing torrent a few inches below their feet. To describe the scene,' says Professor Alexander, is impossible. For the first time we saw actual waves and actual spray of liquid lava.

As its surges rolled back from the enclosing walls of rock, they curled over and broke like combers on the There was, besides, an endless variety in its

reef. forms. Now we passed a cascade; then a smooth majestic river; then a series of rapids, tossing their waves like a stormy sea; now rolling into lurid caverns, the roofs of which were hung with red-hot stalactites; and then under arches, which it had thrown over itself in sportive triumph.' After pursuing the great stream some miles, it reticulated into so many rivulets, which formed the ground between them into islands, that it required great caution not to be isolated on the latter. The lava often penetrated caves, and blew them up with loud explosions. Where the flow debouched upon the ocean, it filled up a bay, and formed a promontory in its stead. Through the first six months of the year 1859, the volcano continued in unabated activity. Among its results, it produced a drought in the district of North Kona, all the wells there having become dry.

When Mr. Ellis* visited Kilauea in 1823, he and his companions observed fifty-one conical crater-islands of various sizes rising round the edge, or from the surface of the burning lake. Twenty-two of these constantly emitted columns of grey smoke, or pyramids of brilliant flame, and several of them vomited streams of lava. The conclusion they arrived at, as to the present formation and condition of the crater was, that it had been originally full to the horizontal black ledge of lava 400 feet below the surface of the ground. From this ledge, the cliffs, composed of strata of ancient lava, rose perpendicularly. This we may call the first or upper crater. The second, or inferior crater, descended from the black

* Missionary Tour through Hawaii.' London. 1826, 1827.