violence. We entered the cave for a moment to avoid the storm, while we considered the best mode of passing through. This place I had quitted the preceding day, and exposed myself to the scorching sun rather than look upon its bloodstained walls; four-and-twenty hour> after, wet and cold, I sought its shelter and felt grateful for its existence.

There was now no time to think about the danger of the undertaking, or the chance of one or all of us being blown down the glacier or over the precipice; it was too late to retreat, and advance we must, or remain where we were and die of cold. Frenchmen, talkative as they are, can be silent on some occasions ; and upon this, our arrangements were made quietly and silently, as if we were about to commit an act in which we were afraid of being discovered. We joined arm-in-arm, and sallied towards the pass. The plan was excellent: no single man could have stood the fury of the blast; and linked together, we staggered like drunken men before it. The wall of the pass once gained, we crept through the gateway, clinging to the projections of the rock, until, turning round its flank, we were in a moment completely sheltered from the wind. I had heard the wrathful wind whistling through the rigging of a vessel, and rushing through a forest; but through this funnel of the mountains it roared, and, wreaking its fury upon the narrow plain of snow between us and the commencement of the glacier, it carried whole layers before it, tossing and whirling them about ere they disappeared in the mist.

The sterility of this region is one of its most striking characteristics. Rocks, stones, sand, precipices, chasms, lakes, are the only objects on which the eye rests. Even the Plain of Millaris-where soil might be expected, for there is abundance of water-is cursed with the same desolation. The term "cursed" is peculiarly appropriate; for tradition tells us that there was once

fertility enough, not only in the vale, but up to the summits of the mountains.

The simpleminded inhabitants of the Spanish valleys believe in a tradition, which says that at one period the sterile plain of the Millaris and the adjoining mountains were clothed with the most beautiful pastures; but that God, displeased with the shepherds of the district, commanded them to leave the neighbourhood. The poorest of the shepherds obeyed the order; but those who were more prosperous disregarding it, a terrible storm was the consequence, the waters of which drowned the disobedient mortals, and washed away their pastures. Upon the eve of St. John (23rd of June) the rebellious shepherds are still to be seen wandering among the wilds of the Millaris, vainly searching for their cottages and green fields.

But there are places in the vicinity of Mont Perdu and even near its base, that afford good pasture for sheep. These are in very high regions, and appear all the more striking from the desolation in other parts of the district. Hither a few shepherds repair during two or three months of the year; their lives are said to be remarkably innocent; they know nothing of the world beyond their native valleys and mountains, and they have no wish to pass the narrow bounds which satisfied their pious forefathers. They are particularly careful of their flocks, whose docility is remarkable, and not less striking is the good understanding subsisting between the sheep and the dogs. The celerity with which the shepherd draws his scattered flock around him is not more astonishing, than the process by which he effects it is simple and beautiful. If the sheep are at no great distance from him, he whistles, and they leave off feeding to obey the call; if they are far off, and scattered, he utters a shrill cry, and instantly the whole flock is seen leaping down the rocks and scampering towards him.

Having waited until they have mustered round him, the shepherd then sets off on his return to his cabin or resting-place, the animals following behind like so many well-trained hounds. The fine-looking dogs, a couple of which are generally attached to each flock, have nobler duties to perform than that of driving the animals together and biting the legs of stragglers; they protect the sheep from the attacks of wolves and bears, against whose approach they are continually on the watch, and to whom they at once offer battle. So well aware are the sheep of the fatherly care of these dogs, and that they themselves have nothing to fear from them, that they crowd around them, as if they really sought their protection; and dogs and sheep may be seen resting together, or trotting after the shepherd, in the most perfect harmony.

The inhabitants not only of this district, but of the whole mountain-chain, are distinguished by their sober virtues. The Spaniards who inhabit this borderland bear a similar character. It is only in the large towns that we find the population ignorant, vicious, and corrupt; the peasantry are among the finest people on earth. Painful is the contrast between the nobles of the present day-diminutive in stature, sadly ignorant -and the tall, athletic, and valiant chiefs who, during so many centuries, withstood the Moors!

The great defect of character in all classes is vindictiveness: a Spaniard never forgives, and is seldom satisfied with anything less than the destruction of his enemy. On the other hand, he is generous to a fault; he never forgets a kindness, and the strength of his attachment is not exceeded by the fierceness of his revenge. The estimation in which the people are held may be inferred from the fact, that Spanish merchants (especially the dealers in mules) can get credit to any amount on the French border. This is the more remarkable, as, owing to the disturbances in the country,

if any one of the hundreds thus trusted were inclined to refuse payment, he might do so with perfect impunity.-Murray.

CHAPTER XXXII.

VISIT TO THE VOLCANO OF KIRAUEA
(HAWAII).

OWYHEE, or Hawaii, the largest of the group called the Sandwich Islands, is, like many of the islands of the Pacific, of volcanic origin. Vast streams of lava have since its appearance flowed over the greater part of it-some of these have rolled on for thirty miles and more, and then precipitated themselves over the cliffs into the sea -and so late as the year 1800 a single current from one of the large craters filled up an extensive bay, twenty miles in length, and formed the present coast. The recent lava is quite bare without even a blade of grass; while the more ancient has become decomposed, and is covered with the most luxuriant vegetation. The scenery of the island is sublime; some of the mountains are from fifteen to eighteen thousand feet above the level of the sea. The following account of a visit to the great volcano is taken from an American magazine, and was written in 1838:

Early in the morning on the 7th of May, Captains Chase and Parker, in company with several others, left the port at Lord Byron's Bay, for the purpose of visiting the celebrated volcano Kirauea. After travelling for a few miles through a delightful country, interspersed with hill and valley, and adorned with clusters of trees hung with the richest foliage, they came to a forest several miles in extent, so entangled with shrubs and interwoven with creeping vines, that its passage was extremely difficult. On issuing from this, the scenery again wore a pleasing aspect, but was soon changed

into a dreary waste. Their route was now in the direct course of a large stream of lava, thirty miles in length and four or five miles in breadth. The lava was of recent formation, with a surface, in some places, so slippery as to make falling almost inevitable, and in others so rugged as to render it toilsome and dangerous to pass. Scattered around were a few shrubs, that had taken root in the volcanic sand and scoriæ, and on each side of the stream was a forest of stunted trees.

"Mouna Roa and Mouna Kea were seen in the distance, and on either side stretched the broad expanse of the ocean, mingling with the far horizon. The party had travelled over nearly the whole extent of the current of lava before sunset; they were, however, much fatigued, and gladly took possession of a rude hut erected by the islanders, in which they slept soundly through the night. Early the next morning ere the sun rose they resumed their journey, and soon a beautiful landscape broke upon their view; but its delightful scenery detained them only a few moments, for the smoke of the volcano was seen rising gracefully in the distance. Quickening their march, they arrived soon after nine o'clock at a smoking lake of sulphur and scoriæ, from which they collected some delicate specimens of crystallised sulphur, and proceeded on their way.

"The next object which attracted their attention was a great fissure five or six hundred feet from the crater. It was about thirty feet wide, five or six hundred feet long, and from all parts there constantly issued immense bodies of steam, so hot that the guides cooked potatoes over it in a few minutes. The steam on meeting the cold air is condensed, and not far from the fissure, on the north, is a beautiful pond formed from it, which furnishes very good water, and is the only place where water is to be found for many miles. The pond is surrounded with luxuriant trees, and sporting on its surface were seen large flocks of wildfowl. It was now