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 it？ I don't see why you
want to keep back things that way； and try to injure a person that's
never done you any harm。〃
Somehow this man's presence made me uncomfortable； and I was glad when a
native arrived at that moment to say that Muckawow； the most
companionable and luxurious among the rude war…chiefs of the Islands；
desired us to come over and help him enjoy a missionary whom he had found
trespassing on his grounds。
I think it was about ten days afterward that； as I finished a statement I
was making for the instruction of a group of friends and acquaintances；
and which made no pretence of being extraordinary； a familiar voice
chimed instantly in on the heels of my last word； and said：
〃But； my dear sir； there was nothing remarkable about that horse； or the
circumstance eithernothing in the world！ I mean no sort of offence
when I say it； sir； but you really do not know anything whatever about
speed。 Bless your heart； if you could only have seen my mare Margaretta；
there was a beast！there was lightning for you！ Trot！ Trot is no name
for itshe flew！ How she could whirl a buggy along！ I started her out
once； sirColonel Bilgewater； you recollect that animal perfectly well
I started her out about thirty or thirty…five yards ahead of the
awfullest storm I ever saw in my life； and it chased us upwards of
eighteen miles！ It did； by the everlasting hills！ And I'm telling you
nothing but the unvarnished truth when I say that not one single drop of
rain fell on menot a single drop； sir！ And I swear to it！ But my dog
was a…swimming behind the wagon all the way！〃
For a week or two I stayed mostly within doors； for I seemed to meet this
person everywhere； and he had become utterly hateful to me。 But one
evening I dropped in on Captain Perkins and his friends； and we had a
sociable time。 About ten o'clock I chanced to be talking about a
merchant friend of mine； and without really intending it； the remark
slipped out that he was a little mean and parsimonious about paying his
workmen。 Instantly； through the steam of a hot whiskey punch on the
opposite side of the room； a remembered voice shotand for a moment I
trembled on the imminent verge of profanity：
〃Oh； my dear sir； really you expose yourself when you parade that as a
surprising circumstance。 Bless your heart and hide； you are ignorant of
the very A B C of meanness！ ignorant as the unborn babe！ ignorant as
unborn twins！ You don't know anything about it！ It is pitiable to see
you； sir； a well…spoken and prepossessing stranger； making such an
enormous pow…wow here about a subject concerning which your ignorance is
perfectly humiliating！ Look me in the eye； if you please； look me in the
eye。 John James Godfrey was the son of poor but honest parents in the
State of Mississippiboyhood friend of minebosom comrade in later
years。 Heaven rest his noble spirit； he is gone from us now。 John James
Godfrey was hired by the Hayblossom Mining Company in California to do
some blasting for themthe 〃Incorporated Company of Mean Men；〃 the boys
used to call it。
Well； one day he drilled a hole about four feet deep and put in an awful
blast of powder； and was standing over it ramming it down with an iron
crowbar about nine foot long； when the cussed thing struck a spark and
fired the powder； and scat！ away John Godfrey whizzed like a skyrocket；
him and his crowbar！ Well； sir； he kept on going up in the air higher
and higher； till he didn't look any bigger than a boyand he kept going
on up higher and higher； till he didn't look any bigger than a dolland
he kept on going up higher and higher； till he didn't look any bigger
than a little small beeand then he went out of sight！ Presently he
came in sight again； looking like a little small beeand he came along
down further and further； till he looked as big as a doll againand down
further and further； till he was as big as a boy againand further and
further； till he was a full…sized man once more； and then him and his
crowbar came a wh…izzing down and lit right exactly in the same old