Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 6.djvu/444

438 438 JOURNAL AND LETTERS OF DAVID DOUGLAS. stones of immense size to the distance of miles around its opening, together with ashes and sand. Terrible chasms exist at the bottom, appearing-, in some places, as if the mountain had been rent to its very roots; no termination can be seen to their depth, even when the eye is aided with a good glass, and the sky is clear of smoke and the sun shining brightly. Fearful, indeed, must the spectable have been when this volcano was in a state of activity. The part to the South of the circle, where the outlet of the lava has evidently been, must have enjoyed a long period of repose. Were it not for the dykes on the West end, which show the extent of the ancient cauldron, and the direction of the lava, together with its proximity to the existing volcano, there is little to arrest the eye of the Naturalist over the greater portion of this huge dome, which is a gigantic mass of slag, scoriae, and ashes. The barometer remained stationary during the whole period spent on the summit, nor was there any change in the temperature nor in the dew-point to-day. While passing, from eight to nine o'clock, over the ledges of lava of a more compact texture, with small but numerous vesicles, the temperature of the air being 36, 37, and the sun shining powerfully, a sweet musical sound was heard, proceeding from the cracks and small fissures, like the faint sound of musical glasses, but having at the same time, a kind of hiss- ing sound, like a swarm of bees. This may, perhaps, be owing to some great internal fire escaping or, is it rather attributable to the heated air on the surface of the rocks, rarefied by the sun's rays. In a lower region this sound might be overlooked, and considered to proceed, by possibility, from the sweet harmony of insects, but in this high altitude it is too powerful and remarkable not to attract attention. Though this day was more tranquil than the 12th, when I ascended Mouna Kuah, I could perceive a great difference in sound; I could not hear half so far as I did on that day when the wind was blowing strong. This might be owing to this mountain being covered with snow, whereas, on the 12th, Mouna Kuah was clear of it. Near the top I saw one small bird, about the size of a common sparrow, of a light mixed grey colour, with a faintly yellow beak no other living crea- ture met my view above the woody region. This little creature which was perched on a block of lava, was so tame as to permit me to catch it with my hand, when I instantly restored it its liberty. I also saw a dead hawk in one of the caves. On the East side of the black ledge of the Great Terminal Crater, is a small conical funnel of scoriae, the only vent-hole of that substance that I observed in the crater. This mountain appears to be differently formed from Mouna Kuah ; it seems to be an endless number of layers of lava, from different overflowings of the great crater. In the deep caves at Kapupala, two thousand feet above the level of the sea, the several strata are well defined, and may be accurately traced, varying in thickness with the intensity of