places of so recent a deposit that it has not yet had time to
decompose, and there is consequently only a thin layer of soil on its
surface. This soil being, however, very rich, vegetation flourishes
luxuriantly for a time; but as soon as the roots have penetrated a
certain depth, and have come into contact with the lava, the trees
wither up and perish, like the seed that fell on stony ground.

The _ohia_ trees form a handsome feature in the landscape, with their
thick tall stems, glossy foliage, and light crimson flowers. The fruit
is a small pink waxy-looking apple, slightly acid, pleasant to the
taste when you are thirsty. The candle-nut trees attain to a large
size, and their light green foliage and white flowers have a very
graceful appearance. Most of the foliage, however, is spoiled by a
deposit of black dust, not unlike what one sees on the leaves in a
London garden. I do not know whether this is caused by the fumes of
the not far-distant volcano, or whether it is some kind of mould or
fungus.

After riding about ten miles in the blazing sun we reached a forest,
where the vegetation was quite tropical, though not so varied in its
beauties as that of Brazil, or of the still more lovely South Sea
Islands. There were ferns of various descriptions in the forest, and
many fine trees, entwined, supported, or suffocated by numerous
climbing plants, amongst which were blue and lilac convolvulus, and
magnificent passion-flowers. The protection from the sun afforded by
this dense mass of foliage was extremely grateful; but the air of the
forest was close and stifling, and at the end of five miles we were
glad to emerge once more into the open. The rest of the way lay over
the hard lava, through a sort of desert of scrubby vegetation,
occasionally relieved by clumps of trees in hollows. More than once we