Identifier: sandwichislandno01bate (find matches)
Title: Sandwich island notes
Year: 1854 (1850s)
Authors: Bates, George Washington
Subjects:
Publisher: New York, Harper
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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eep grass, the scenewould have been one of the most perfect desolation. Im-mense stones of lava of every shape, and many of them sev-eral tons in weight, lay in confusion over this plain, and wereinterspersed with indigo and other plants. Over some of thosehuge masses of volcanic rock the delicate convolvulus (Con-volvulus tricolo?) was creeping. Here and there was a gi- PUNCH-BOWL HILL. 99 gantic specimen of the prickly-pear (Cactus ficus Indicus)struggling against the surrounding desolation. Upon thisplain it would almost seem as if the neighboring crater hadexpended all its force. One is forcibly reminded of the pas-sage which so plainly foretold the utter desolation of Idumea : I will stretch out upon it the line of confusion and the stonesof emptiness! The path, leading directly over the plain conducted me atlength to the foot of Puahi, or Punch-Bowl Hill. LikeLeahi, or Diamond Hill, it has long been quiescent, but it re-tains a more youthful appearance than the latter, and looks
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PUNCH-BOWL HILL. XOO SANDWICH ISLAND NOTES. as though it may burst forth again without a single momentswarning to the quiet town below. As the highest point isbut five hundred feet above the sea, the ascent is comparative-ly easy. Many of the pupils in the royal school, located atits base, climb it for recreation during a recess of their studies.What may be called its summit is a huge concave, nearlyhalf a mile wide, and covered with a luxurious pasture. Thisconcavity originates the English name of the old crater. Ifa supply of water could be obtained regularly to irrigate thesoil—which is decomposed lava—the summit would make asnug little farm. At the time of my visit, numbers of finecattle were quietly browsing on the pasture, and large flocksof wild and tame goats were feeding on the most precipitoussides of the hill. While sitting on a gun, taking notes of theobjects around me, a flock of the latter class of animals ap-proached me, bleating, and seemed to chide me for disturbi

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