roughing it-第92节
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exactness。 The gradual narrowing of the wall from the base upward is
accurately preserved。
No cement was used； but the edifice is firm and compact and is capable of
resisting storm and decay for centuries。 Who built this temple； and how
was it built； and when； are mysteries that may never be unraveled。
Outside of these ancient walls lies a sort of coffin…shaped stone eleven
feet four inches long and three feet square at the small end （it would
weigh a few thousand pounds）； which the high chief who held sway over
this district many centuries ago brought thither on his shoulder one day
to use as a lounge！ This circumstance is established by the most
reliable traditions。 He used to lie down on it； in his indolent way； and
keep an eye on his subjects at work for him and see that there was no
〃soldiering〃 done。 And no doubt there was not any done to speak of；
because he was a man of that sort of build that incites to attention to
business on the part of an employee。
He was fourteen or fifteen feet high。 When he stretched himself at full
length on his lounge； his legs hung down over the end； and when he snored
he woke the dead。 These facts are all attested by irrefragable
tradition。
On the other side of the temple is a monstrous seven…ton rock； eleven
feet long； seven feet wide and three feet thick。 It is raised a foot or
a foot and a half above the ground； and rests upon half a dozen little
stony pedestals。 The same old fourteen…footer brought it down from the
mountain； merely for fun （he had his own notions about fun）； and propped
it up as we find it now and as others may find it a century hence； for it
would take a score of horses to budge it from its position。 They say
that fifty or sixty years ago the proud Queen Kaahumanu used to fly to
this rock for safety； whenever she had been making trouble with her
fierce husband； and hide under it until his wrath was appeased。 But
these Kanakas will lie； and this statement is one of their ablest
effortsfor Kaahumanu was six feet highshe was bulkyshe was built
like an oxand she could no more have squeezed herself under that rock
than she could have passed between the cylinders of a sugar mill。 What
could she gain by it； even if she succeeded？ To be chased and abused by
a savage husband could not be otherwise than humiliating to her high
spirit； yet it could never make her feel so flat as an hour's repose
under that rock would。
We walked a mile over a raised macadamized road of uniform width； a road
paved with flat stones and exhibiting in its every detail a considerable
degree of engineering skill。 Some say that that wise old pagan；
Kamehameha I planned and built it； but others say it was built so long
before his time that the knowledge of who constructed it has passed out
of the traditions。 In either case； however； as the handiwork of an
untaught and degraded race it is a thing of pleasing interest。 The
stones are worn and smooth； and pushed apart in places； so that the road
has the exact appearance of those ancient paved highways leading out of
Rome which one sees in pictures。
The object of our tramp was to visit a great natural curiosity at the
base of the foothillsa congealed cascade of lava。 Some old forgotten
volcanic eruption sent its broad river of fire down the mountain side
here； and it poured down in a great torrent from an overhanging bluff
some fifty feet high to the ground below。 The flaming torrent cooled in
the winds from the sea； and remains there to…day； all seamed； and frothed
and rippled a petrified Niagara。 It is very picturesque； and withal so
natural that one might almost imagine it still flowed。 A smaller stream
trickled over the cliff and built up an isolated pyramid about thirty
feet high； which has the semblance of a mass of large gnarled and knotted
vines and roots and stems intricately twisted and woven together。
We passed in behind the cascade and the pyramid； and found the bluff
pierced by several cavernous tunnels； whose crooked courses we followed a
long distance。
Two of these winding tunnels stand as proof of Nature's mining abilities。
Their floors are level； they are seven feet wide； and their roofs are
gently arched。 Their height is not uniform； however。 We passed through
one a hundred feet long； which leads through a spur of the hill and opens
out well up in the sheer wall of a precipice whose foot rests in the
waves of the sea。 It is a commodious tunnel； except that there are
occasional places in it where one must stoop to pass under。 The roof is
lava； of course； and is thickly studded with little lava…pointed icicles
an inch long； which hardened as they dripped。 They project as closely
together as the iron teeth of a corn…sheller； and if one will stand up
straight and walk any distance there； he can get his hair combed free of
charge。
CHAPTER LXXIV。
We got back to the schooner in good time； and then sailed down to Kau；
where we disembarked and took final leave of the vessel。 Next day we
bought horses and bent our way over the summer…clad mountain…terraces；
toward the great volcano of Kilauea （Ke…low…way…ah）。 We made nearly a
two days' journey of it； but that was on account of laziness。 Toward
sunset on the second day； we reached an elevation of some four thousand
feet above sea level； and as we picked our careful way through billowy
wastes of lava long generations ago stricken dead and cold in the climax
of its tossing fury； we began to come upon signs of the near presence of
the volcanosigns in the nature of ragged fissures that discharged jets
of sulphurous vapor into the air； hot from the molten ocean down in the
bowels of the mountain。
Shortly the crater came into view。 I have seen Vesuvius since； but it
was a mere toy； a child's volcano； a soup…kettle； compared to this。
Mount Vesuvius is a shapely cone thirty…six hundred feet high； its crater
an inverted cone only three hundred feet deep； and not more than a
thousand feet in diameter； if as much as that； its fires meagre； modest；
and docile。But here was a vast； perpendicular； walled cellar； nine
hundred feet deep in some places； thirteen hundred in others； level…
floored； and ten miles in circumference！ Here was a yawning pit upon
whose floor the armies of Russia could camp； and have room to spare。
Perched upon the edge of the crater； at the opposite end from where we
stood； was a small look…out housesay three miles away。 It assisted us；
by comparison； to comprehend and appreciate the great depth of the basin
it looked like a tiny martin…box clinging at the eaves of a cathedral。
After some little time spent in resting and looking and ciphering； we
hurried on to the hotel。
By the path it is half a mile from the Volcano House to the lookout…
house。 After a hearty supper we waited until it was thoroughly dark and
then started to the crater。 The first glance in that direction revealed
a scene of wild beauty。 There was a heavy fog over the crater and it was
splendidly illuminated by the glare from the fires below。 The
illumination was two miles wide and a mile high； perhaps； and if you
ever； on a dark night and at a distance beheld the light from thirty or
forty blocks of distant buildings all on fire at once； reflected strongly
against over…hanging clouds； you can form a fair idea of what this looked
like。
A colossal column of cloud towered to a great height in the air
immediately above the crater； and the outer swell of every one of its
vast folds was dyed with a rich crimson luster； which was subdued to a
pale rose tint in the depressions between。 It glowed like a muffled
torch and stretched upward to a dizzy height toward the zenith。 I
thought it just possible that its like had not been seen since the
children of Israel wandered on their long march through the desert so
many centuries ago over a path illuminated by the mysterious 〃pillar of
fire。〃 And I was sure that I now had a vivid conception of what the
majestic 〃pillar of fire〃 was like； which almost amounted to a
revelation。
Arrived at the little thatched lookout house； we rested our elbows on the
railing in front and looked abroad over the wide crater and down over the
sheer precipice at the seething fires beneath us。 The view was a
startling improvement on my daylight experience。 I turned to see the
effect on the balance of the company and found the reddest…faced set of
men I almost ever saw。 In the strong light every countenance glowed like
red…hot iron； every shoulder was suffused with crimson and shaded
rearward into dingy； shapeless obscurity！ The place below looked like
the infernal regions and these men like half…cooled devils just come up
on a furlough。
I turned my eyes upon the volcano again。 The 〃cellar〃 was tolerably well
lighted up。 For a mile and a half in front of us and half a mile on
either side； the floor of the abyss was magnificently illuminated； beyond
these limits the mists hung down their gauzy curtains and cast a
deceptive gloom over all that made the twinkling fires in the remote
corners of the crater seem countless leagues removedmade them seem like
the camp…fires of a great army far away。 Here was room for the
