Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 6.djvu/430

424 424 JOURNAL AND LETTERS OF DAVID DOUGLAS. Were the traveller permitted to express the emotions he feels when placed on such an astonishing part of the earth's surface, cold, indeed, must his heart be to the great operations of Nature, and still colder towards Nature's God, by whose wisdom and power such wonderful scenes were created, if he could behold them without deep humility and reverential awe. Man feels himself as nothing as of standing on the verge of another world. The deathlike stillness of the place, not an animal nor an insect to be seen far removed from the din and bustle of the world, impresses on his mind with double force the ex- treme helplessness of his condition, an object of pity and compassion, utterly unworthy to stand in the presence of a great and good, and wise and holy God, and to contemplate the diversified works of his hands ! I rn,ade a small collection of geological specimens, to illustrate the nature and quality of the lavas of this mountain, but being only slightly acquainted with this department of Natural History, I could do no more than gather together such materials as seemed likely to be useful to other and more experienced persons. As night was closing and threatening to be very stormy, we hastened toward the camp, descend- ing nearly by the same way as we came, and finding my guide, Honori, and the other men all in readiness, we all proceeded to the edge of the woody region, and regained the lodge, highly gratified with the result of this very fatiguing day's excursion. Having brought provision from the hill, we fared well. January the 13th. The rain fell fast all night, and continued, ac- companied by a dense mist, this morning, only clearing sufficiently to give us a momentary glimpse of the mountain, covered with snow down to the woody region. We also saw Mouna Roa, which was simi- larly clothed for a great part of its height. Thankful had we cause to be that this heavy rain, wind, and fog did not come on while we were on the summit, as it would have caused us much inconvenience and perhaps danger. The same weather continuing till the 15th, I packed up all the baggage and prepared to return. It consisted of several packages tied up in Coa baskets, which are manufactured from a large and beautiful tree, a species of Acacia, of which the timber resembles mahogany, though of a lighter colour, and is beautiful, and said to be durable ; also sotne parcels of geological specimens, my instruments, etc. At seven A. M. I started, having sent the bearers of my luggage before me, but I had hardly entered the wood, by the same path as I took on my ascent, when the r&in began to fall, which continued without the least intermission ; but as there was no place suitable for encamping, and the people as usual had straggled away from one another, I re- solved to proceed. The path was in a dreadful state, numerous rivu- lets overflowed it in many places, and, rising above their banks, rushed