The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-06-15

for two nours rode in the shadow cast
by it. At this elevation, steadily
climbing higher, we were decidedly
chilly. Out came our heavy rain coats.
but even in these we were none too
warm. We were willing, however, to
undergo a little discomfort for the sake
of our horses, which could travel much
more easily at that early hour, and
also for the grand view through the
gap of the mountains of Hawaii. Ma
/ una Kea and Mauna Loa towering above
the morning clouds lit up with the sun.
1t was all wonderful sight. Hawaii,
| though forty miles away. was clearly
outlined for the next three hours. The
ever increasing intensity of the blue
of the ocean was most impressive. 1t
seemed as we climbed higher that a
great blue bowl was surrounding us,
and that we were in the center of it.
This is always the impression the
| ocean gives one from the mountain of
Haleakala.
BY $50 we were pretty well up the
ascent, and near the floor of the era
ter, when we fortunately discovered that
Mr.. Turner's horse was losing the shoe
on one of his fore boots. After half
an hours work of Strengthening the
two nails and pounding them in with
a piece of lava stone, cutting away
the hoof so we could bend the nails
over and so secure them, we felt easy
to go on Had we lost one more nail.
the hoof would have been worn to the
quick and the horse we would have
had to knock in the head 1t is i'm
possible for barefoot horse. which is
used to shoes. to cross lava rock.
We were exceedingly fortunate also in
being able most Of the way to find the
trail. and so save ourselves the trying
experience / had last January in com
pany with John G. Woolley of Chi
cago. of wandering lost for six hours
over the IA. or clinkers. because our
native guide took US the wrong way.
Every minute of that former trip we
expected our horses legs to snap, as
we tried hour after hour to extricate
ourselves from the mass of lava. The
IA" was literally in waves, and our
situation seemed hopeless. This time,
however. by carefully following diTec-
tons that had been given me. and
sticking rfgidly to what we thought
must be the trail. we We're able to
avoid the Ia" almost entirely. The
only dangerous place we found was
some pahoehoe-smooth shining lava
which looked as if it had flowed out
the day before. IN this there were
occasional thin crusts that might easily
be broken by a horses hoof
A about 1920 o'clock we were in the
crater itself, and here we stopped long
enough TO pick a few good specimens
Of silver sword" kind Of siiveTy
green fern found only in HaIeakaIa.
We had no time 70 visit the DeviFs
Pip Pen or the Bottomless Pit. which
latter is merely fumarole that has
never been fath0med. These and other
interesting places we could not visit.
both because we didn't know exactly
their locality. and also because We had
no time To lose. for the clouds were
beginning to enter the crater, and il
might soon be impossible for US to find
our way. If the thick fog shut in upon
Us. The floor Of the crater was smooth
and Of hard lava sand, so for mile
or two we were able 10 ga]iop and not
only gain time, but also rest ourselves
and our horses. 4 change from the
slow pace Of the last seven hours was
decidedly refreshing
The vastness of the crater hardly
appealed TO US as we followed the trail
We can see but comparatively little Of