The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1845-05-12

like loose tufts of fine tow, and also found adhering
to the bushes on the plain. The fbes are of varous
degrees of fneness; some are crmped and lrizzled
others stroight with fine drops of glass end;
in some plnces the ground was so strewed with il ns
to appear covered with fine cobwebs very fine
pumice also prevails oftho size of NUT not unlike
pieces Of new dry sponge, but so much lighter as to
be blown about by the wind The natives boiled
their food in the crevices.
On Sunday NIL took rest; it was beautiful day;
they enjoyed clear and well defined horizon, the
clouds all hontng beneath them in huge white mass
es, of every variety Of form, covering an area Of
hundred or miles; the steam cloud above the
volcano was conspicuous, not only from its silvery
hue, bu, by its remaining firm, like an immense rock
while all around and beneath il were in motien The
vault over head was Of the purest cerulonn blues al
together, this scene, with the distant view Of the
green island below, must hive been one ofthe grand
est nature can present Our anthor fails TO describe
as some would have attempted to, but in the absence
oFgIowing language, the Imagination, stimulated by
his facts, has free play for enjoyment
The party was still two, If not three days journey
from the summit Of this immense mountain an as
cent OF eight thousand feet being still to be accom-
pishcdi they were inadcqualely supplied with water,
but determined to push on; the ascent became much
sleeper than my they had before raSerscd the whole
face of the mountain consisting Of one mass OF lava;
the rareiied air caused nausea and headache, and
disposition 10 sleep; grea, difficulty was experienced
in preventing the natives throwing down their loads
and deserving, and most were dismissed leaving the
commander with the guides and nine men, with moth.
ing but small tent for a covering and the thermom-
Ip..s, I = IL IL a
thermometer at 5deg the roof broke in with
the weight. and the whole party was most truly I'M
comfortable.
The ensuing day, by laborious walk ing AMID snow
squalls, they reached the top ofthe terminal crater,
and encamped; a high wind blew out their lights and
the tent rocked iii would go TO pieces Next day
no fro could be procured.
They now built wal! for their camp, and ordered
up more tents provisions. and men here the steam
from the fires below issued from cracks in the lava
at time in the tent of the commando r who pound-
ed the lava ana filled the seam with broken pieces.
Regular stations cling established at length supplies
were constantly arriving the temperature fell to IT.
deg during the night, examinations Of the highest
crater were made; pendulum, dip, and intensity OBJ
'ervations, &c, taken amidst dreadful gales of wind
reminding them strongly of those they experienced
among the ice on the Antarctic cruise
Some experiments were made at this great eleya-
ton on velocity Of sound gun, when fired near
the level Of the sea, loud, it was necessary 10
close the ears when standing within twenty feet Of it,
the sound then could be heard ak miles; but on the
summit, they stood near the same gun, without any
precaulion. and the noise it there made, was like that
of squb.
This volcano has vented forth lava in suhicien,
quantities to form dome SIXTY miles in diameter,
and nearly three miles in height Our author de-
scrlbes his sensations overpowering, while standing
on the summit, in close proximity to precipce of
profound depth, overhanging crater Outrageous as
sea- After remaining sufficient time to complete
his observations, he taken sick, aad tho party
returned If the work had contained no other mat
Ter OF interest, this trip to the top of Mauna Los
wonld have redeemed it,