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

the nineteen square miles of the in
terror of the vast hole while we are
in the floor of the crater, because
numerous cones a thousand feet in
hight intercept the view. The tremen-
dously high walls on the left of us are
impressive. and continually remind us
that we actually are in the midst OF
the greatest crater of the world.
The trail soon begins to ascend, grad
ually at first. but now more abruptly
and we find ourselves on the famous
sloping sands, which the trade winds
have driven clear to the top of the
west rim of the crater, $500 feet above
the floor. BY this ascent, frequently
resting our painting horses, we were
able to reach the top by -12 o'clock We
came out near the highest point of
Haleakala. 1902 feet, called Red Hill.
The view back into the crater with
it's wonderful variety of red and yellow
and brown sands. the dark blue peaks
of the other rim seven and a half
miles distant towering above the
masses of white cumuus clouds that
were slowly creeping nearer and near
err, soon TO take complete possession
Of the great pit below. while in the dis
doomed high on the horizon.--profound
once stood on the top of Haleakala
can never forget that magnificent sight.
Maufs famous mountain has a gran
deur all it's own. Every bit Of color,
the iaggedness of the distant peaks,
the blueness Of the great ocean. the
snow whiteness of the masses of cloud
hi /, rNf+ no
great mountain, were all intensified by
the dazzle of the monday sun. Every
thing was possessed with light and
glory. Grand Haleakala is rightly
named 1.-THE House of the Sun"
Our horses needed further time for
rest. 50 rather than lie down on the
warm sand we decided TO try the novel
fun of rolling stones over the rim into
the crater below. We found we could
easily dislodge many Of the larger
rocks. some of which weighed fully a
ton. and which were nicely balanced on
the very edge Of the great crater BY
the watch these would drop off into
space for six or eight seconds and then
roll down the steep sandy incline 1t
a terrible speed often leaping 30 or 40
feet at a time. sending behind them
trail Of dust like smoke from a loco
motive, and not stopping for a fun
minute The crash, the splitting Of the
rocks. the laundering roar below US
all added to the excitement and sport.
We both felt like schoolboys once
more.
Il was well our horses had had this
chance 70 rest. for now for an hour the
worst part Of the trip was before US
There seemed no other way than to
scramble over masses Of rock until the
weU-defned trail down the mountain
was reached It is no exaggeration 70
say shat our horses stepped down two
feet from one big rock to the next,
and that we had to cross great masses
IF rocks. which I can describe. only by
saving it seemed as if 20 stone walls
miles in length had been rolled to-
gether. BY 100. however. we were OF
the downward grade. Here the trail
is well marked every fifth Of a mile by
a white post The descent is gradual
and the trail comparatively free from
stones The horses made about four
miles an hour. For two hours we
walked, to rest both ourselves and our
horses.
On this side Of Maui also the scenery