The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-09-05

1ncfc, upon Il great pam, many Color
ed rocks and lava with the absence of
vegetation except the silver sword. all
were flaming in the slanting rays Of the
sun. TO describe the effects is impos
sible. ! did make hard climb to get
two specimens of the silver sword, and
they well repaid me, though the plants
were not in bloom at the time much
to my disappointment. | tramped on
until the dark was relieved again by
the moonlight, not feeling tired and
absolutely without desire to eat. FL
nally | forced myself to make a stop
and beneath the shelter of a rock
camped and set going my little stove
and made myself a cup Of cocoa. The
scene was ghOstly and the silence OPP
pressive. There can be no words used
to convey the silence. 1t pervaded and
enveloped you. / could not eat any
solids but felt warmed by the hot
drink. 1t Is most interesting to note
that while the temperature at the sum-
nit was fOrty-two, on the floor of the
crater it was even lower. the mercury
showing only thirty-nine degrees.
After a repacking my effects | tried to
to rest The moon was bright and the
stars shining clearly. But II was inn
possible to remain quiet. one found
oneself longing for the rustic of a leaf
or the chirp of cricket. Lying down
resting on one elbow | found myself
pecring into the darkness hoping that
something would come along or that
some sound, no matter what II might
be, would break the stiffness.
AT length it was impossible to re-
main quiet longer. | had n map from
the Territorial survey department and
had been instructed to keep away to
the southeast. SO / took up my way
over the lava and cinder plain. 1t was
about o'clock and | walked for an
hour going over closer TO the south
wall of the crater. But ! found soon
that there was no path and the way
was broken. | had been seeking a cave
of which | had been told and could not
find II, so began to retrace my steps.
Again | laid down but soon found the
silence unsupportable and again began
To walk. out of the darkness finally
there seemed to rise animals and upon
approaching ] found them TO be mules
tethered. | could not find any men
however and so hau to content myself
with fratcrniZng with a gray mule
which seemed to be anxious for COM
partnership and while shvering i'm the
cool air was ready to rub its head
against my shoulder. But l was rest
less and soon took to the path, only to
find that l had returned To my former
resting place, and that | might not be
lost again laid down.
After forcing myself to rest for a
half hour a form appeared on the crest
of cinder pile ahead. ] rose and
shouteG that 1 was alone and perhaps
lost The man started. stopped and
finally came forward. | told him who
! was and why | was there and he
could speak only one word. water"
| had canteen with more than a pint
of water in 1t and gave 1t to him. He
took the canteen and drank all without
stopping. Thus refreshed he told me
that he was the guide for a party of
two men, whom he had brought up
from the Hama plantation, that his
tourists We're then sheltered i'm "A cave,
the one | had been seeking, while he
was out searching for water. | went
To them, and there found Mr.. Waldron,
of Schaefer & Company and a friend,
who had left Hama in the morning early
and had had not n drop of water, II
then being half past twelve at night.
sat down in the cave with them and
found the temperature something like
den degrees higher. We sat there and
shiveringly talked at some length, the
men suffering from need ~ water. their
lips parched and throats dry.
AT length they could not stand II
longer and determined To try and reach
the water holes at which / had last
filled my canteen, something like -four
miles away whore the water had col
: lected in the holes in the lava, They
insisted that | should come along
} Offering 20 mount me and telling ms
/, that IL would be impossible for me "a
make the trip down the Kaupo gap, as
the way was very bad. | had come 50
} far and was Of no other mind than q
, go on, aud so they left me In the cave