The Polynesian., 1840-08-08
GLEANINGS FROM THE EDITORS NOTE
ROOK.-HAW1U No. 3.

improved greatly, and having reached the
summit of the spur we had distinct view
of the volcano. presenting an immense pit,
vomiting out steam and smoke. a short
distance farther we came to beds of delicious
strawberries, and bushes of giant raspberries,
from which we made a hearty meal We
no doubt shall be accused of telling q trav
cler's bounce. when we state that some of
the latter were five inches in circumference,
but such was the case, proved by measure
ment as all who cat of them can testify.
They were very juicy, but had slightly BIT
ter, pungent flavor, which no doubt might
be much improved by cultivation. The
country was open, with gentle dcclivity
towards the crater, until within five miles of
it, when we entered q dense forest of very
large timber, covered with arborescent ferns.
Either whirlwind or earthquake had oc-
cured recently, for the ground was strcwed
with overturned trees, some of which were
four to five feet in diameter. All were torn
up by their roots Emerging from the for
est, we skirted the woods in an easterly di-
rection for mile or so, and then struck off
at right angle for few rods, when we
came upon the brink of an old crater of great
size. Twenty iect descent carried us in
to its basin, where we crossed two great
rents in the earth, OF which no termination
could be seen. Their sides were covered
with ferns, and they we're five feet in width.
An eighth Of a mile of there was another
declvty, which formed the outer edge Of Liza
Pele. Descending this, a short run brought
us GREATNESS to the brink of the volcano.
We were prepared to feel disappointment at
first sight, but | must confess that this view
came far beneath our expectations. "Can
this be the mighty crater of which we have
read and heard 50 much. There must be
some mistake" And we inquired of our
guide again and again if there was no other.
Where were the flames, the boiling chal-
drons, the fiery ioam the booming waves,
the bubbng lava, the deep, unearthly bel
lowngs, the awful and sublime; where were
they? Our eyes rested upon mere mass of
smoudering ruins. As we gazed its i'm
mensty grew upon us. More and more we
realized its great size, its vast depth, and
the grandeur of the whole, by anaizing its
parts. 1t looked like the ruins of some
mighty conllagration, from which the smoke
and flame still rose, and at any moment liza
BILE to break out again, ficrcer than before
AT the farther extremity, bright light show
ed itself, like the Pickering flame Of half en-
tingulshed embers, and all was silent except
the occasional Kissing Of gases and steam.
thought of Sodom and GomorraE, and the
cities of the Plain. They must have appear
ed like this, before the waters flowed in and
buried them forever. After gazing until
nightfall, we fastened to the hut, where
we were to sleep, mere shelter of roots
and grass thrown upon few sticks, and coy
red on the windward side only. 1t was but
three feet from the brink, perpendicular
precpice of four hundred feet, portion of
which had lately slid down part way, and hung
threateningly over the remainder Back of
it was crack in the earth, through which
the steam constantly escaped. SO occupied
were we with the scene before us, that the
danger to which we were exposed in sleeping
here did not occur to us until we were ready to
leave the crater, and the excitement was over.
A slight shock of earthquake, and we should
have known nothing more. However, hay
ing supped, we spread our blankets with our
heads towards the abyss, to be prepared for
any display which might occur during the
night, which closed in with cold drizzling
rain, and the wind blew in furious squalls,
threatening at every gust to drive our frail
shelter into the pit below. The hitherto
quiet crater, at intervals threw up columns
Of hot steam, stones and ashes, accompanied
with loud reports, resembling the discharges
of heavy artillery in confined place. Oc-