The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-09-02

!, Standing on the brink of the crater, the eye sur
vcys It's general depth; but its walls are not IN ther
whole depth, directly PERCEPTIONS, but are broken
into shelves, which appear to have sunken al widey
differing intervals, and far separated that the
one Immediately below the spectator conceals from
view those beneath H. These shelves are brokenby IT.
regular chasms and crevlces OF Invisible aepth'
The side Of the crater toward which we looked,
being that toward which the wind uniformly bore
all the mineral fumes of this great furnace, was
Wild barren, and destitute of all vegetation; but
that on which were, being freed from such dele
terious Influences presented entirely different
appearance. The sunken shelves on this side were
quite thickly coated with fertile soil, from which
sprung, in wild profuson, trees, shrubs, vines, and
flowers offering an agreeable contrast to the Belize
bub region opposite.
4 This general survey was all that we could make
before night closed around the scene; and then new
features of interest attracted attention, as we sat
around the fire in front of our hut Instead OF smoke
which was seen lowering over the burning lake du-
ring the day, its surface brilliantly illuminated,
casting bright reflection upon the clouds above
The fires which arose from the lava waves APP
peared like myriads of torches borne by moving
| multitude gliding by and mingling with each other;
at one time, dark lanes circles, spots would be
seen among the lights, and the next minute the
lights would overspread these dark places Besides
these numerous torch like illuminaons masses of
flame of the volume of hogshead were breaking
forth the surface Of the lake and around It's cir
)
| sion of the Imagination TO make this the appropri
ate dwelling place for the "King of steam and va
! por,n the Explosion in the palace of life" the
i Grain Of night" the "Thundering god" the Sire
hurting child of war;" the "Fieryeyed canoe break
err" and the " Remembering cloud-holderi''-
| gods to whom it had assigned this habitaton.
i Having slept our first night upon the edge Of the
crater, we arose on the following morning. re-
freshed and ready for the explorations of the day.
The ground all about US, with its steaming aper-
lures, had very unstable and unsatisfactory look
Seeing small pit before the door Of the hut filed
with dried leaves, thought it would be convenient
place for fire; but, upon rakng out the leaves,
vapor came seamng up, as though had uncovered a
boiling pot We derived feeling of confidence
and security from the knowledge that things had
held on in this boiling, burning, and consuming
condition. for an unknown period; but, nevertheless,
it is uncomfortaby manifest to those on the spot,
!. that at some perod-and it may be at any moment
this portion of earth will anticipate the general con-
| fagration, unless this event hastcns with Merian
| speed.
Before breakfast, we made visit to a sulphur
bank little to the right of our dwelling-place.
Descending about thirty feet to the first sunken
| ledge, and following this along through myriads Of
the whortleberries which have been described, we
reached the bank. 1t was a hot, smoking mass of
| mixed yellow, white and red-the yellow portion
being crystallized sulphur, the white mineral pull
i verulent deposite, and the red color derived
i from soft muddy mass which seemed to be
formed by the action Of acids upon earth. Steam
was rushing from the crevices with considerable
force, and so hot that the hand could not be borne
before the openings; while dull roaring sound could
be heard deep beneath. Some pretty specimens of
crystallized sulphur were gathered, they were hot
and soft, but hardened upon cooling.
i Immediately after breakfast we packed up some
provisions in a calabash, and, leaving our hut and
| goods in charge of the trusty Kaii-nk.n, pro-
ceeded to descend, and pass the day in the crater.
Expecting to collect specimens Of lava, took the
Indians and their empty calabashes with us-Ki-a-
nu.hi being guide. These men prepared sandals,
by mating together leaves of the Ii plant, which
had been dried and then softened by soaking.
Being retained to the feet by loops passing the
toes, they eecually formed protection against the
sharp lava and heat; but to those unaccustomed to
their use, they would evidently have been CALLING
and painful substitute for shoes. Descending to
the first ledge, we pursued this for some dis
lance to the eita very pretty walk amid shrubs and
flowers overhanging wild chasms and precpces.
From this ledge we descended by precipitous path
of one hundred feet descent, along its face, 10 the
next The path was formed by steps worn in a
heavy earthen soil, and abrupt that the per
son above appeared to be treading the head of
him just below him. There was nothing danger
Gus in the descent; and the Kanakas came down
rapidly, and with great facility, laden with their
poles and caabashes. From the level which we
had now reached, the view above was very pic
turesque. The high walls of The crater, where they
were rocky, presented perpendicular and almost
smooth surfaces, jutting out at regular intervals
| like the abutments Of gigantic bridge. The bot
tom of the crater was yet far below us; and by a
descent less precipitous than the last reached
another soll-covered and shrub-grown plane. Walk
i ing for some distance along this, we came to
a narrow, rapidly descending spur, by the sharp
edge of which reached, after long descent, the
black edge-the bottom of the crater This ledge
spread out before us like a frozen black ocean d.
vded into large flakes. These flakes pressed against
| zach ptlar tharv
| they overapped and piled one above another, in ir
regular heaps Our way to the burning lake was
over this sea of hardened lava for some miles, amid
smoking openings and crevices. At first, the sur
face had more than the brilliant ridscence of an
thracite coal, and Of frable crystalline char
acter crispng under the feet like dry snow Far
Their on, had the frmness and appearance of cast
iron which had cooled in irregular plates In some
places, the black mass was rolled in immense vo-
| lutes one over the other The whole had start
mgly hollow sound, and in places would give
way beneath our feet; but there seemed, generally
TO be more solid mass beneath, with FIVE or six
inches of space between them. We passed places
over which we were obliged to hurry, the heat be.
ing painful to the feet, and the atmosphere sitting
with heated emanations from the gaping crevices
Pursuing our way over such n surface, arrived
| upon the brink of broad and deep rent, ir-
regularly running like the channel Of river
| The sides were of red stone; and the force which
had torn them asunder had severed the material into
fragments OF varying size, pileu III threatening insta-
| billty, resting upon sharp points and angles one
above another, and looking as though the slightest
displacement of any one fragment wond bring the
whole mass laundering down. Black hardened
lava occupied the bottom of this winding ravine,
looking from the top like river of pitch. Descend
ing and ascending the sides Of this ravine were the
most dangerous parts of our journey, apparent to
us. After crossing, we had yet great distance to
go the scorie and lava above described before
we stood upon the edge Of the burning lake. The
wind blowing from us, we were enabled TO approach
| the very brink. The fluid was in constant motion
thick sluggish waves of the du-gray, flmy appear.
ance of melted lead, were slowly rolling over each
other, towards the side on which we stood the flick
erng of heat appeared over the whole surface from
which red columns, looking exactly like blood, were
spouted up with convusive jerk, and near the edge
/ threw mosses Of liquid lava upon the bank the sur
face of the fluid being from ten TO fifteen feet below
where we stood As the hot waves rolled against
the sides of the basn and were turned back again
| upon themselves. il appeared ma though the hank