started in high spirits, the horsemen
hardly able to conceal their exultation in their superiority over the
walkers, whilst they cantered over the plain from which our ascent
commenced; this, 4000 feet almost gradual in forty miles, is not
fatiguing; and thus, although we found the path through a wood about
three miles long, very deep, and the air oppressive, we all arrived
together without distress at the "half-way house," by 1 P.M. Suppose a
haystack hollowed out, and some holes cut for doors and windows, and
you have a picture of the "half-way house," and the ordinary dwellings
of the natives of these islands; it is kept by a respectable person,
chiefly for the accommodation of travellers, and in it we found the
comfort of a table, a piece of furniture by these people usually
considered superfluous. Here we soon made ourselves snug, commencing
by throwing ourselves on the mats, and allowing a dozen vigorous
urchins to "rumi rumi" us. In this process of shampooing, every muscle
is kneaded or beaten; the refreshing luxury it affords can only be
perfectly appreciated by those who have, like us, walked twenty miles
on a bad road, in a tropical climate. Here we were to stay the night,
and our first object was to prepare dinner and then to eat it; all
seemed disposed to assist in the last part of this operation, and
where every one was anxious to please, and determined to be pleased,
sociability could not be absent. After this we whiled away our time
with books and conversation, till one by one dropping asleep, all
became quiet, except a wretched child belonging to our hostess, who,
from one corner of the hut, every now and then set up its shrill pipe
to disturb our slumbers.

[Illustration: Map of the Crater.]

_Explanation of Plan:--_

A A The outer rim.
B B The inner rim.
C The active crater.
D D D D D The surface of the larger crater.
E E E E The dike.
F The house.
G The hut.
H H Track to and from crater.
I I Track of party on Wednesday night.
_o o o o o o_ Cones in large crater.

We were on the march the next morning at six, the walkers more
confident than the horsemen, some of whose beasts did not seem at all
disposed for another day's work. Our road lay for the most part
through immense seas of lava, in the crevices of which a variety of
ferns had taken root, and, though relieving the otherwise _triste_
appearance, in many places shut out our view of any thing besides. Two
of the walke