The Polynesian., 1840-07-28

and scratching Tor some minutes, we camo
to the unanimous decision, that this was
species of martyrdom altogether inconsis,on
with the objects of our journey, and we boil.
ed. An hours search by twilight freed us O,
the most implacable of our enemies. and bo,
we sought new resting place, with the cod
prospect of sleeping bankctcss and sumo,
less, as our men had not arrived. Hav;0,
prepared bed of dried ferns, we turned IN
brimiul oiwrath at our lazy kanakas. How.
ever before nine o'clock they came stragguc
along, made us fire, and we passed com.
Portable night. Thermometer AGO at sunrise
JUly Started early, our course berc
directly for the summit, the shortest but steen.
est way. After few hours slow progress
we passed the line of vegetation, cxceptipc :,
species of fern, and few stunted grasses
and came upon n bed of scoria, and rouCb
lava. This led to large crater, apparently
the great terminal one of Mauna Kea. The
side towards the n. W., through which we
entered was torn away, and here the lava
apparently had discharged itself Includinc
the numerous sand and scoria conical shaped
chimnies, which have an elevation of from
five hundred to one thousand feet, and appear
to have been as it were Jlown up, by the cX
pansive force beneath, its circumference wa.
not less than six miles. The basin wa.
broken up into lakes, crested waves. cones
apd all the distorted shapes of an active era
ter, rendering travelling exceedingly rough
our men giving out every few rods. Or
/ these Chimnes, were herds of bullocks
winch scampercd off at our approach, ant
plunged down their rugged sides with ,
rapidlty which dcfed pursuit. Their onl,
object in frequcntng this region, where there
Is no trace OF vegetation, is to avoid the pur
suit OF the hardy hunters, or to lick the snow
Alter pushing our way until within two thou.
sand feet Of the summit, our horses gave out
and were sent back. This was at the bed
OF large lava lake at the south eastern cy.
,trcmity of the crater. Here we found se
rles of minerals, such as we had not noticed
before. They were augite hornblcnde. oil
vine, etc Leaving the lava, we strucl
upon volcanic gravel, loose and slipperv (,
the footing. AT this height my resp;ratio,
was sensIbly affected, lips cracked, eve bali
Inamed, with a dizzy, swimming sensatio,
IN my head. Some Of the natives were sim
Darly attacked. BY the time we had reached
the foot of sand hill, about three hundrec
feet above us, which the guide insisted wa
the highest peak of the mountain. thes
symptoms had increased to such decree
accompanied by laintncss, that l could no
walk without assistance, and but y few rod
at time. Some peppermint and brandy
mixed with water, relieved me little. NV
companions were not so much affected Il
was now sunset, and we were on the HIGHEST
visible point but one, surrounded by scene
of infinite grandeur. To the south Law Mau-
ma Loa, with its dome summit, on which We
could distinctly trace the great crater of
Douglas, now at rest, for no smoke was visi.
BILE; Mauna Hualala rose precpitously on
our right, and such was the clcarness of the
atmosphere, that they both appeared close
upon us, though thirty miles distant. On
this side we had an adequate conception of
our elevation; thirteen thousand feet. The
great plain between the two maintains which