SINGULAR VAULTED AVENUE. 89 those of deep melancholy and horror, at the human immolations and shocking cruelties, which they had so often exhibited. Here, however, idolatry appeared at least in the form of clemency, and the Puhonua presented a scene unique among the ruins of paganism, which we contemplated with unusual interest. Whether its establishment was originally projected by the priests, to attach to their interests all who might owe their lives to its institution; or by some mild and humane prince, anxious to diminish the barbarous cruelties of idolatry, and soften the sanguinary character of savage warfare; or whether derived traditionally from the Israelitish cities of refuge, to which some of its features are strikingly analogous, we do not pretend to determine. However, we could not but rejoice, that its abolition was so soon succeeded by the revelation of a refuge more secure; that the white flag ceased not to wave, till another banner was ready to be unfurled, on which was inscribed, "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth."-May Jesus become their strong hold, and their deliverer, and When vengeance hovers nigh, And rest securely there. 24th. Mr. Ellis being sufficiently recovered to allow us to proceed, we left Keokoa about 8 o'clock. After travelling half a mile, a singular appearance of the lava at a small distance from the shore, attracted our attention, and, on examination, presented a curious phenomenon. It consisted of a covered avenue of considerable extent, from 50 to 60 feet in height, formed by the lava's having flowed, in some recent eruption, over the edge of a perpendicular strata of very ancient lava, from 60 to 70 feet high. It appeared as if at first it had flowed over in one vast sheet, but had afterward fallen more slowly, and in detached semi-fluid masses. These, cooling as they fell, had hardened and formed a pile, which, by continued augmentation from above, had ultimately reached the top, and united with the liquid lava there. It was evident that the lava still continued to flow along the outside of the arch thus formed into the plain below, as we observed, in several places, the courses of unbroken streams from the top of the cliff, to the bed of smooth lava, that covered the beach for several miles. The space at the bottom, between the ancient rocks and more recently formed lava, was from six to twelve feet. On the one side, the lava rose perpendicular and smooth, showing distinctly the different variously coloured strata, of which it was composed, some of a bright scarlet, others brown and purple. The whole mass appeared to have undergone, since its formation, the effects of violent heat. The cracks and hollows horizontally between the different strata, or obliquely through them, were filled with lava, of a florid red colour, and much less porous than the general mass. It must have been brought to a state of most perfect liquefaction, as it had filled up every crevice, that was more than half an inch wide. It appeared highly glazed, and in some places we could discover small round pebbles, from the size of a hazlenut to that of a hen's egg, of the same colour, and having the same polish, yet seeming to have remained solid, while the liquid lava, with which they were mixed, had been forced by subterranean fire into all the fissures of the ancient rock. The pile on the other side, formed by the dripping of the lava from the upper edge of the rocks, presented a striking contrast, but not a less interesting scene. It was generally of a dark purple, or jet black colour, glittering in the rays of the sun, as if glazed over with a beautiful vitreous varnish. On breaking any fragments off we found them very porous, and considerably lighter than the ancient lava, on the other side. Its varied forms, baffled description, and were equal to the conceptions of the most fertile imaginations. The archway thus SINGULAR VAULTED AVENUE. 91 formed, continued for about half a mile occasionally interrupted by an opening in the pile of lava caused by some projecting rock or elevation in the precipice above. A spectacle awfully sublime, and terrific must have been presented, when this burning stream rolled in one wide sheet, a fiery cascade, from the lofty steep down upon the smoking plain. With what consternation and horror must it have filled the affrighted inhabitants of the surrounding villages, as they beheld its irresistible and devastating course, impressed as they were with the belief, that Pele, the goddess whom they had offended, had left her abode in the volcano, and was in person visiting them with thunder, lightning, earthquake, and liquid fire, the instruments of her power and vengeance. In As we passed along this vaulted avenue, called, by the natives, Keanaee, we beheld a number of caverns and tunnels, from some of which streams of lava had flowed. The mouths of others being walled up with stones, we supposed were used as sepulchres. Mats spread upon the slabs of lava, calabashes, &c. indicated some of them to be the habitations of men. Others, near the openings, were used as workshops, where women were weaving mats, or beating cloth. Some we also saw used as store-houses, or depositories of sandal-wood. many places, the water filtered through the lava, and, around the spots where it had dropped on the ground, we observed a quantity of very fine white spearshaped chrystals, of a sharp nitrous taste. Having walked a considerable distance along the covered way, and collected as many specimens of the lava, as we could conveniently carry, we returned to the sea-shore. Mr. Harwood feeling indisposed and unable to travel, and Mr. Ellis being quite weak, they proceeded in the canoe to Kalahiti, where they landed about 2 P. M. and waited the arrival of their companions. The rest of the party travelled along the shore by a path, which was often tedious and difficult. The lava frequently presented a mural front, from 60 to 100 feet in height, in many places hanging over their heads, apparently every moment ready to fall; while, beneath them, the long rolling billows of the Pacific chafed and foamed among the huge fragments, along which their road lay. In many places the lava had flowed in vast torrents over the top of the precipice into the sea. Broad flakes of it, or masses like stalactites, hung from the projecting edge in every direction. The attention was also attracted by a number of apertures in the face of the rocks, at different distances from their base, looking like so many glazed tunnels, from which streams of lava had gushed out, and fallen into the ocean below, probably at the same time that it had rolled down in a horrid cataract from the rocks above. They passed through two villages containing between 300 and 400 inhabitants, and reached Kalahiti about 4 in the afternoon. Here the people were collected for public worship, and Mr. Thurston preached to them from John vi, 38. They gave good attention, and appeared interested in what they heard. The evening was spent in conversation on religious subjects with those who crowded our lodgings. We observed many of the people at this place with their hair either cut or shaved close on both sides of their heads; while it was left very long in the middle, from the forehead to the back of the head. On our inquiring the reason of this, they informed us, that, according to the custom of their country, they had cut their hair in the manner we perceived, on account of their chief, who had been sick, and who, they had heard, was dead. We did not see any that had slit their ears, although that, as well as knocking out their front teeth, and tatauing their tongues, was formerly a common practice on the death of a chief. 25th. About 9 A. M. we took leave of the kind people at Kalahiti. Messrs. Thurston, Bishop and SINGULAR PILLARS OF LAVA. 93 Goodrich continued their journey along the shore. Mr. Ellis went in the canoe, in company with Mr. Harwood. The coast, along which they sailed, looked literally iron-bound. It was formed of steep rocks of lava, whose surface wore the most rugged aspect imaginable About 2 P. M. they passed Taureonanahoa, three large pillars of lava, about 20 feet square, and 80 or 100 high, standing in the water, within a few yards of each other, and adjacent to the shore. Two of them were united at the top, but open at their base. The various coloured strata of black, reddish, and brown lava being distinctly marked, looked like so many courses of masonry. About 5 in the afternoon, they landed at Kapua, a small and desolate looking village on the south-west point of Hawaii, and about twenty-two miles distant from Kalahiti. Here they had the canoe drawn up on the beach until their companions should arrive. After leaving Kalahiti, Messrs. Thurston, Goodrich and Bishop proceeded over a very rugged tract of lava, broken up in the wildest confusion, apparently by an earthquake, when it was in a semi-fluid state. About noon they passed a large crater. Its rim on the side towards the sea, was broken down, and the streams of lava issuing thence, marked the place, by which its contents were principally discharged. The lava was not so porous as that at Keanaee; but, like much in the immediate vicinity of the craters, was of a dark red, or brown ferruginous colour, and but partially glazed over. For about a mile along the coast, they found it impossible to travel without making a considerable circuit inland. They therefore procured a canoe, and passed along the part of the coast, where the sea rolled up against the naked rocks, and about 1 P. M. they landed in a very high surf. To a spectator on the shore, their small canoe would have seemed every moment ready to be buried in the waves; yet, by the dexterity of the natives, they were safely |
