rs, and some of the horsemen, came in at the journey's
end, shortly after eleven o'clock; the remainder, some leaving their
horses behind them, straggled in by two P.M. Here we were at the
crater! Shall I confess that my first feeling was disappointment? The
plan shows some distance between the outer and inner rims, immediately
below the place where the house (F) is situated; this is filled up by
another level, which shuts out a great part of the prospect; the
remainder was too distant, and the sun's rays too powerful, to allow
of our seeing more than a quantity of smoke, and an occasional fiery
ebullition from the further extremity. It was not until we had walked
to the hut (G) that we became sensible of the awful grandeur of the
scene below; from this point we looked perpendicularly down on the
blackened mass, and felt our insignificance. The path leads between
many fissures in the ground, from which sulphurous vapour and steam
issue; the latter, condensing on the surrounding bushes, and falling
into holes in the compact lava, affords a supply of most excellent
water. As evening set in, the active volcano assumed from the house
the appearance of a city in flames; long intersecting lines of fire
looked like streets in a blaze; and when here and there a more
conspicuous burst took place, fancy pictured a church or some large
building a prey to the element. Not contented with this distant view,
three of our party started for the hut, whence in the afternoon we had
so fine a prospect. When there, although our curiosity was highly
gratified, it prompted us to see more; so, pressing a native into our
service, we proceeded along the brink of the N.W. side, until, being
nearly half-way round the outer circle of the crater, we had hoped to
obtain almost a bird's-eye view of the active volcano; we were
therefore extremely chagrined to find, that as we drew nearer our
object, it was completely shut out by a ridge below the one on which
we stood. Our walking had thus far been very difficult, if not
dangerous, and this, with the fatigues of the morning, had nearly
exhausted our perseverance. We determined, however, to make another
effort before giving it up, and were repaid by the discovery of a spur
which led us down, and thence through a short valley to the point
where our track (I) terminates. We came in sight of the crater as we
crested the hill; the view from hence was most brilliant. The crater
appeared nearly circular, and w