We had not proceeded far, before our path was intersected by a chasm at least thirty feet wide, and of greater depth than we could ascertain, at the nearest distance we dare approach. The only alternative was to return or follow its course until it terminated or became narrow enough to be crossed. We chose the latter, but soon met an equally formidable obstacle, in a current of smoke, so highly impregnated with a suffocating gas as not to allow of respiration. What a situation for a group of half a dozen men, totally unaware of the extent of peril to which they might be exposed! The lava on which we stood was in many places so hot, that we could not hold for a moment in our hands the pieces which we knocked off for specimens.
On one side lay a gulf of unfathomable depth, on the other an inaccessible pile of ruins, and immediately in front an oppressive and deadly vapor. While hesitating what to do, we perceived the smoke to be swept occasionally, by an eddy of the air, in a direction opposite to that in which it most of the time settled. And watching an opportunity, when our way was thus made clear, we held our breath and ran as rapidly as the dangerous character of the path would permit, until we had gained a place beyond its ordinary course. We here unexpectedly found ourselves also delivered from the other impediment to our progress; for the chasm abruptly ran off in a direction far from that we wished to pursue. Our escape from the vapor however was that which we considered the most important: and so great was our impression of the danger to which we had been exposed from it, that when we saw our way to the opposite side open, without any special obstacle before us, we felt disposed formally to return thanks to Almighty God for our deliverance. But before this was proposed most of our number had gone forward so far as to be out of call; and for the time the external adoration of the Creator, from the midst of one of the most horrible of his works, was reluctantly waived.
At an inconsiderable distance from us was one of the largest of the conical craters, whose laborious action had so greatly impressed our minds during the night; and we hastened to a nearer examination of it; so prodigious an engine I never expect again to behold. On reaching its base, we judged it to be one hundred and fifty feet high, a huge irregularly shapen, inverted funnel of lava covered with clefts, orifices, and tunnels, from which bodies of steam escaped with deafening explosion, while pale flames, ashes, stones, and lava, were propelled with equal force and noise from its ragged and yawning mouth. The whole formed so singularly terrific an object, that in order to secure a hasty sketch of it, I permitted the other gentlemen to go a few yards nearer than I did, while I occupied myself with my pencil. One of the company with his servant ascended the cone several feet, but found the heat too great to remain longer than to detach with their sticks, a piece or two of recent lava, burning hot. So highly was our admiration excited by the scene, that we forgot the danger to which we might be exposed should any change take place in the currents of destructive gas—which exists to a greater or less degree in every part of the crater—until one of the gentlemen, after two or three intimations of the propriety of an immediate departure, warned us in a most decided tone, not only as a friend, but as a professional gentleman, of the peril of our situation, assuring us, that three inspirations of the air by which we might be surrounded, would prove fatal to every one of us. We felt the truth of the assertion, and notwithstanding the desire we had of visiting a similar cone covered with a beautiful incrustation of sulphur, at the distance from us, of a few hundred yards only, we hastily took the speediest course from so dangerous a spot. The ascent to the ledge was not less difficult and frightful than the descent had been, and for the last few yards was almost perpendicular. But we all succeeded in safely gaining its top, not far from the path by which we had in the morning descended the upper cliff.
We reached the hut about two o'clock, nearly exhausted from fatigue, thirst and hunger, and had immediate reason to congratulate ourselves, on a most narrow escape from suffering and extreme danger, if not from death. For, on turning round, we perceived the whole chasm to be filling with thick sulphureous smoke; and within half an hour, it was so completely choked with it, that not an object below us was visible. Even where we were, in the unconfined region above, the air became so oppressive as to make us think seriously of a precipitate retreat. This continued to be the case for the greater part of the afternoon. A dead calm took place, both within and without the crater, and from the diminution of noise, and the various signs of action, the volcano itself seemed to be resting from its labors.
One of the company, during a morning ramble, had gathered two large buckets of fine strawberries, which made a delightful dessert at our dinner. The mountains of Hawaii are the only parts of the island on which this delicious fruit is found. A large red raspberry is also abundant on them; but even when fully ripe, it has a rough acid taste similar to that of an unripe blackberry. The flavor of the strawberry, however, is as fine as that of the same fruit in America.
Towards evening the smoke again rolled off to the south, before a fresh breeze, and every thing assumed its ordinary aspect. At this time we succeeded in getting sufficient data to calculate the height of the upper cliff; and made it nine hundred feet. If this be correct, it is judged that the height of the ledge cannot be less than six hundred feet; making the whole depth of the crater that which I have stated in the preceding pages, fifteen hundred feet. On similar grounds, the circumference of the crater at its bottom has been estimated at a distance of from five to seven miles; and at its top from eight to ten miles.
Greatly to our regret we found it would be necessary to set off on our return early the next morning; all the provisions of the natives being entirely expended. We could have passed a week here with undiminished interest, and wished to remain at least one day longer to visit the sulphur banks, which abound with beautiful chrystalizations, and to make some researches on the summit. We would have been glad also to have added to the variety of specimens already collected, especially of the volcanic sponge, and capillary volcanic glass, not found on the side of the crater where we encamped; but it was impossible; and we made preparations for an early departure. Just as these were completed, in the edge of the evening, another party from the same ship, consisting of about a dozen midshipmen arrived, with whom we shared our lodgings for the night.
The splendid illuminations of the preceding evening were again lighted up with the closing of the day; and after enjoying their beauty for two or three hours with renewed delight, we early sought a repose which the fatigue of the morning had rendered most desirable. The chattering of the islanders around our cabins, and the occasional sound of voices in protracted conversation among our own number, had however, scarcely ceased long enough to admit of sound sleep, when the volcano again began roaring, and laboring with redoubled activity. The confusion of noises was prodigiously great. In addition to all we had before heard, there was an angry muttering from the very bowels of the abyss, accompanied at intervals by what appeared the desperate effort of some gigantic power struggling for deliverance. These sounds were not fixed or confined to one place, but rolled from one end of the crater to the other; sometimes seeming to be immediately under us—when a terrible tremor of the ground on which we lay, took place—and then again rushing to the farthest end with incalculable velocity. The whole air was filled with tumult; and those most soundly asleep were quickly roused by it to thorough wakefulness. Lord Byron springing up in his cot exclaiming, "We shall certainly have an eruption; such power must burst through every thing!" He had barely ceased speaking, when a dense column of heavy black smoke was seen rising from the crater, directly in front of us, the subterranean struggle ceased, and immediately after flames burst from a large cone, near which we had been in the morning, and which then appeared to have been long inactive. Red hot stones, cinders, and ashes, were also propelled to a great height with immense violence; and shortly after the molten lava came boiling up, and flowed down the sides of the cone, and over the surrounding scoria, in two beautiful curved streams, glittering with indescribable brilliance.
At the same time a whole lake of fire opened in a more distant part. This could not have been less than two miles in circumference, and its action was more horribly sublime than any thing I ever imagined to exist, even in the ideal visions of unearthly things. Its surface had all the agitation of an ocean; billow after billow tossed its monstrous bosom in the air, and occasionally those from different directions burst with such violence, as in the concussion to dash the fiery spray, seemingly, forty and fifty feet high. It was at once the most splendidly beautiful, and dreadfully fearful of spectacles, and irresistibly turned the thoughts to that lake of fire, from whence we are told, the smoke of torment shall ascend for ever and ever.
No work of Him who laid the foundations of the earth, and who by his almighty power still supports them, ever brought to my mind the more awful revelations of his Word with such overwhelming impression. Truly, "With God is terrible Majesty!" Let all the nations say unto God, "How terrible art thou in thy works."