The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-10
LIKE LIVING ON THE 0 y
a NATURALIST's soJOURN IN THE
CRATER OF Nh " JOA.
An Account or Observations on tho Hawaiian
Mountains Top by DR.. 10. u. duppS OF
RnMnM-Thren NYneha Above tho Clouds.

HSOuuNutn'a TOD W mr. ~ ne seppS W.
Rnwnu-Three weeks Above tho Clouds.
From the Puotac Commercial Advertiser.
When ut noon on Aug. 8 l stood alone at the
edge OF the crater OF Mokuawoowco. my feel
ings were of u somewhat mixed character. I
had just said eood.b TO Mr.. John Gaspar who
had brought me up, aud before me lay a period
OF solitude Of thrco weeks or moro. From a
previous ascent made on April l l gathered
that it would DO very cold, but beyond this
knew nothing Of the climatic conditions to
which I would be exposed. However, l set to
work at once to arrange the interior OF my tent,
got out my meteorological Instruments ana
planned my examination Of the crater.
Before many days had passed 1t became APP
parent that tbs conditions of my existence were
not unlike some Of those to DO found III tho
moon. In the complete sterility OF the surface
In the very existence Of the grim Old crater, AT
the edge OF which | had pitched my tent, In tho
ratification OF the atmosphere. in tho intense
dryness OF the air, as indicated by observations
on the relative humidity; in the. prevailing
cioudIess. SKY hy'day and in the clear, star lit
calm and devices nights; in the severe cola az
night and In tho scorchiny OF the sun IN tnc
tions We would lo0& for in that planet. Thea.
again, the air at first was highly electrified.
My rcd blanket cracked unlcr my hands NJ
night and could trace on IT, SURFACE IN pnos.
phOresCent hues with my flngcrnail the letter
4 a. dd ! Lay SS,S GomE'e;oi y SnvS pS,d sr n It's p iciasi
up from the ground adhered provokingly to my
fingers, and I bcgan. to imagine myself an eleG-
trio battery. The effects Of these meteorologi.
cal conditions soon showed themselves In the
cessation OF the action oil the skin, III severe
pshafshes a and d d0Tg ,nro" and n IN a sl IenIenSi 10
general lassitudc and loss OF appetite, most OF
which symptoms ! attributed 10 the great lack
think that Mr.. Gnspar would find n mummy
on his return, when a short spell Of damp
symptoms having disappeared. | began to take
more interest in my SURROUNDINGS.
And soon l found that | had a regular visitor
twice a day in the shadow OF the long noun.
tain. For about twenty minutes after sunrise
and before sunset the shadow Of the mountain
was thrown back against the sky OF the oppoc-
brush had been at work on. the. sky far away.
and had worked IN the profile Of the mountain
with u very uncanny blue. Most evenings l
used to light my pipe and watch the arrival
and disappearance OF the old mountains shade.
signal for my retiring for the night. l was in
the habit of getting up three or four times in
the night to make observation OF thG wind and
weather. At ] A. Nj. on Aug. 9 there was q
most beautiful lunar halo, displaying most OF
the rainbow hues, the purple inside and the
was rcpoate! in a less marked degree in tho
following hight. and after that the phenomenon
disappeared.
During my sojourn on the mountain top there
was very little rain, only about 3o-lo0 OF an
inch. Most Of the rain on the summit fell
turing tne might Ol aug. l--lo, uIu III Lnat
nigh: l had an uncomfortah.c time OF it; The
wind was very gusty and was apparently dis
posed pos to LIT Up my TEN ni,, anI larry n 1t s SHdiiT 'n Ia9
down with my boots on. 1t my pipe and pre-
pared for the worst. The canvas was reeking
with the wet, and every fresh gust Of the biting
northcr seemed to promise to deprive me OF
my shelter. Nature, however. came 70 my AID.
After sunset 1t began TO freeze hard, and be
fore long the canvas of my tent was as stiff as
a board and no longer swayed TO and fro with
each gust OF wind, l then tell asleep for IAN
N.-,. =. . .-D L-J ,lf tN e.. IffHl ~ q. ttstnI llnN ~.
Ing strong, from the south. y RAPID tntw haI
set in, and the CANVAS was again soaking with
,4st. the water running d'T \n on ,io ny Ito sr3re f.
vary tho cntertainmcat there were two earth
tremors, lasting in each case a few seconds.
My tent, however, held b.atc.y Oh. Sleep
came to me in the cary morning. and when
woke the sun was high up and there was u
genial warmth in the tent.
The cloud effects were often magnificent.
The suow.white sea OF cuInLl! that gathered in
the forenoon around the mountain slopes usually
failed to hide the summit OF tlua!alai. and prob
ably the level OF It's nppG: limit Is on the aver
the few occasions. when there were rain clouds
about, the submits OF ltalcakala and Mama
kea were always visible. On the forms ana M
srrvntions. Perhaps the most strtkIng phe'
noucnon was that OF the cvnnesCent cirrus. IN
one minute tho observer may be gazing ut Il
cloudless sky overhead. In tho next there ap'
pears rs II by magic n large white cloud, winch.
being Al, no ereat elevation. is carried rapidly
course o. u few minute-, The history Of one OF
these clouds may thus I've traced. The spectn'
tor looking. we will say, to the cast, secs only
the clear blue OF "a cloudlesS ky. Then sudden
ly u tiny white speck appears and in a few min
utes the Spcck becomes a conspicuous cloud
In less than half n minute II has attained con.
siderable dimension, and rs IL il borne rapidly
interior, frequently changing its form and in 4
few minutes melting away altogether. Some
times, when there were Il number q. these cirr
visible. the heavens presented quite II bcwil
dering spectacle il quick appearance and dis
appearance OF the clouds and in their frequent
change Of form.
There was u continual struggle bet ween the
rortherly and s%outhcr!y winds on the summit
the vicinity OF my tent in the middle OF the ives
side of the crater being their frequent battl'
ground. AT such times miniature wntr!wind'
carried M sand and rarer into the air. ana !
the tent was open, is interior became n!ict
with dust. On the north and east side, the wine
was usually northeast and caStcrly. On In
south side, 1t was south ard "asicriy, while oI
the west side north to northwest amt snGth"cs
% south. southwcst were tine lrcEa4iinE d~lrcrt!oI.
OF tho wind. but the WIND was rarely strong a.
the camp; One morning ! LEFT nay tent At
o'clock with a light soutncriy breeze Blowing
but after proceeding about nal! = mile 10 tit
north found myself facing y bitterly cold north
cHsf gallo. against which / rou!d scarcely stand
so that my purpose Of roing around the 'rait
had to he abandoned gor that day. Returning
My descent into The uruter WAS made on M
northwest side. 1t was 4 tedious OPERATION, ana
that are often Inclined to roll down anil "rlal
the intruder on his way. As soO1 asl rcachc,
near the centre NJ The Great pi' the clouds he
gan 10 pour in On all sidcn over thc lips OF III
crater. In Il few minutes was cnNciopcd in
dense liist, anil any further observation wa
rendered iInprAClirublo. During the prevail
ing dry, clear wca,her with y CloGdlcas SKY
'slnuko' IL only evident Ia two places in III
crater. one naGr III" Ucntr" and the otilrr in IN
southwest corrrr from the biso OF = yc!lowls'
cii,r. where there are HppHrci.i.y extensive dc
posts OF sulphur, When. s.w%ver, nc Sky !
wni.c vapOr may he soru arising from n
greater part .. The surface ~ tue crater. n
change Is 1t little s%tart!iIr;. the true cSplUlJ
ton being that y larg" amount of the vnp0
evolved Is only ri-!hlc in cloudy, murSy we0rl
er. 1t is. therefore, possible that the ~
counts OF two observers MAJ vary greatly as !
tho Cratcr's condition. ana yet no difference i
the condition actually exist. This especial
applies to the dis. rict on the south AMI aou'I
west borders of the crater stretching uO0ut
mile to tho southwark. In "loHdy wcn,hc
white vapor arises ilOll many places in thu
area. Many OF hest cracks and iissurcs ca
hib!t evidence Of hHvt.I, orr finally giving El'
sage 10 vrpors at n very llEA temperature. Tn
red g.aZ, that coats their SIDES could urvr
hnvc been produced by Inc comparatively coo
yipors nov discharged from them. | shU,!
Judge that the subtcrrunCrn neat IL now GIor