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day climbed the remaining nine thousand feet； and anchored on the summit；
where we built a fire and froze and roasted by turns； all night。 With
the first pallor of dawn we got up and saw things that were new to us。
Mounted on a commanding pinnacle； we watched Nature work her silent
wonders。 The sea was spread abroad on every hand； its tumbled surface
seeming only wrinkled and dimpled in the distance。 A broad valley below
appeared like an ample checker…board； its velvety green sugar plantations
alternating with dun squares of barrenness and groves of trees diminished
to mossy tufts。 Beyond the valley were mountains picturesquely grouped
together； but bear in mind； we fancied that we were looking up at these
thingsnot down。 We seemed to sit in the bottom of a symmetrical bowl
ten thousand feet deep； with the valley and the skirting sea lifted away
into the sky above us！ It was curious； and not only curious； but
aggravating； for it was having our trouble all for nothing； to climb ten
thousand feet toward heaven and then have to look up at our scenery。
However； we had to be content with it and make the best of it； for； all
we could do we could not coax our landscape down out of the clouds。
Formerly； when I had read an article in which Poe treated of this
singular fraud perpetrated upon the eye by isolated great altitudes；
I had looked upon the matter as an invention of his own fancy。
I have spoken of the outside viewbut we had an inside one； too。 That
was the yawning dead crater； into which we now and then tumbled rocks；
half as large as a barrel； from our perch； and saw them go careering down
the almost perpendicular sides； bounding three hundred feet at a jump；
kicking up cast…clouds wherever they struck； diminishing to our view as
they sped farther into distance； growing invisible； finally； and only
betraying their course by faint little puffs of dust； and coming to a
halt at last in the bottom of the abyss； two thousand five hundred feet
down from where they started！ It was magnificent sport。 We wore
ourselves out at it。
The crater of Vesuvius； as I have before remarked； is a modest pit about
a thousand feet deep and three thousand in circumference； that of Kilauea
is somewhat deeper； and ten miles in circumference。 But what are either
of them compared to the vacant stomach of Haleakala？ I will not offer
any figures of my own； but give official onesthose of Commander Wilkes；
U。S。N。； who surveyed it and testifies that it is twenty…seven miles in
circumference！ If it had a level bottom it would make a fine site for a
city like London。 It must have afforded a spectacle worth contemplating
in the old days when its furnaces gave full rein to their anger。
Presently vagrant white clouds came drifting along； high over the sea and
the valley； then they came in couples and groups； then in imposing
squadrons； gradually joining their forces； they banked themselves solidly
together； a thousand feet under us； and totally shut out land and ocean
not a vestige of anything was left in view but just a little of the rim
of the crater； circling away from the pinnacle whereon we sat （for a
ghostly procession of wanderers from the filmy hosts without had drifted
through a chasm in the crater wall and filed round and round； and
gathered and sunk and blended together till the abyss was stored to the
brim with a fleecy fog）。 Thus banked； motion ceased； and silence
reigned。 Clear to the horizon； league on league； the snowy floor
stretched without a breaknot level； but in rounded folds； with shallow
creases between； and with here and there stately piles of vapory
architecture lifting themselves aloft out of the common plainsome near
at hand； some in the middle distances； and others relieving the monotony
of the remote solitudes。 There was little conversation； for the
impressive scene overawed speech。 I felt like the Last Man； neglected of
the judgment； and left pinnacled in mid…heaven； a forgotten relic of a
vanished world。
While the hush yet brooded； the messengers of the coming resurrection
appeared in the East。 A growing warmth suffused the horizon； and soon
the sun emerged and looked out over the cloud…waste； flinging bars of
ruddy light across it； staining its folds and billow…caps with blushes；
purpling the shaded troughs between； and glorifying the massy vapor…
palaces and cathedrals with a wasteful splendor of all blendings and
combinations of rich coloring。
It was the sublimest spectacle I ever witnessed； and I think the memory
of it will remain with me always。
CHAPTER LXXVII。
I stumbled upon one curious character in the Island of Mani。 He became a
sore annoyance to me in the course of time。 My first glimpse of him was
in a sort of public room in the town of Lahaina。 He occupied a chair at
the opposite side of the apartment； and sat eyeing our party with
interest for some minutes； and listening as critically to what we were
saying as if he fancied we were talking to him and expecting him to
reply。 I thought it very sociable in a stranger。 Presently； in the
course of conversation； I made a statement bearing upon the subject under
discussionand I made it with due modesty； for there was nothing
extraordinary about it； and it was only put forth in illustration of a
point at issue。 I had barely finished when this person spoke out with
rapid utterance and feverish anxiety：
〃Oh； that was certainly remarkable； after a fashion； but you ought to
have seen my chimneyyou ought to have seen my chimney； sir！ Smoke！
I wish I may hang ifMr。 Jones； you remember that chimneyyou must
remember that chimney！ No； noI recollect； now； you warn't living on
this side of the island then。 But I am telling you nothing but the
truth； and I wish I may never draw another breath if that chimney didn't
smoke so that the smoke actually got caked in it and I had to dig it out
with a pickaxe！ You may smile； gentlemen； but the High Sheriff's got a
hunk of it which I dug out before his eyes； and so it's perfectly easy
for you to go and examine for yourselves。〃
The interruption broke up the conversation； which had already begun to
lag； and we presently hired some natives and an out…rigger canoe or two；
and went out to overlook a grand surf…bathing contest。
Two weeks after this； while talking in a company； I looked up and
detected this same man boring through and through me with his intense
eye； and noted again his twitching muscles and his feverish anxiety to
speak。 The moment I paused； he said：
〃Beg your pardon； sir； beg your pardon； but it can only be considered
remarkable when brought into strong outline by isolation。 Sir；
contrasted with a circumstance which occurred in my own experience； it
instantly becomes commonplace。 No； not thatfor I will not speak so
discourteously of any experience in the career of a stranger and a
gentlemanbut I am obliged to say that you could not； and you would not
ever again refer to this tree as a large one； if you could behold； as I
have； the great Yakmatack tree； in the island of Ounaska； sea of
Kamtchatkaa tree； sir； not one inch less than four hundred and fifteen
feet in solid diameter！and I wish I may die in a minute if it isn't so！
Oh； you needn't look so questioning； gentlemen； here's old Cap Saltmarsh
can say whether I know what I'm talking about or not。 I showed him the
tree。〃
Captain Saltmarsh〃Come； now； cat your anchor； ladyou're heaving too
taut。 You promised to show me that stunner； and I walked more than
eleven mile with you through the cussedest jungle I ever see； a hunting
for it； but the tree you showed me finally warn't as big around as a beer
cask； and you know that your own self； Markiss。〃
〃Hear the man talk！ Of course the tree was reduced that way； but didn't
I explain it？ Answer me； didn't I？ Didn't I say I wished you could have
seen it when I first saw it？ When you got up on your ear and called me
names； and said I had brought you eleven miles to look at a sapling；
didn't I explain to you that all the whale…ships in the North Seas had
been wooding off of it for more than twenty…seven years？ And did you
s'pose the tree could last for…ever； con…found