E. Bailey, Naturalist Edward Bailey describes scientific expedition to Haleakala Crater Wailuku, March 8, 1841 Dear Bro. Cooke, Your kind letter of Jan. 25 was received week before last on Thursday eve. I did not mean to let it lie so long without writing, but I have been busy since then in rousing up myself a little from the lethargy which long schoolkeeping brings on. To say the truth the scientific corps from the Vincennes arrived that evening on their way to Haleakala & I set out & went with them & returned on Saturday but they with Bro. Andrews remained till the next Wednesday. De Pickering returned a day before the rest & that day I accompanied him on a botanical & conch excursion. I made it my principle from the time they first arrived to get all the information from them I could & so compensate in some measure for the want of an opportunity to study. But alas there is after all nothing like knuckling, & upon the whole I rather think my mind has got the loose fidgets than any thing else & it seems like a man who has repeatedly tried to roll some great weight & after tugging away & each time spending his breath without success gets paiaka & lays still awhile till by some means he gets rousted out and gives another mighty heave only to see his log lay as still as ever. But I suppose as I have been into a new regimen it would be proper for me to say something about it. We found it very cold. I scarcely ever suffered more. We arrived somewhere about noon on the top which was but the brink of an enormous crater near 1500 feet deep and two or three miles long. In it are a number of smaller craters or conical hills composed of loose sandy matter tho not quite fine enough to scour dishes. I however did not go down into it. But as I was about to say we went along a mile or two on the top to find the highest peak on which to set up the barometer. After awhile it begun to rain, then hail, finally snow, & we were soon well lathered when there came a wind sharp as a razor & gave us a good shaking I assure you. At any rate most of our noses got peeled. Two nights we lodged in caverns; we got a thorough cold drenching, and after it a baconing in the cave. Upon the whole we got a good specimen of what the children of this world go through to gain their ends which with the expense &c makes what Christ points to as wiser than the children of light. They employ means adequate to the end they wish to accomplish & deny themselves anything and every thing that they may win what — a soul — no a straw. Just weigh it all in the Philosopher's Scales if you please. 'Twould take a longer barometer than they have got to measure the height to which their whole concern wd. be thrown. The botanists discovered a few plants which may be of use. One they thought wd. make good boxwood for engraving _ they found three species of geranium, two of which have beautiful flowers, & one was the boxwood mentioned above. You speak of my being ready for our Soc. meeting. H... .., do we talk of having no Gen. Meet. Why should I waste paper in preparing for that which is not. But perhaps I shall make out something whether there is a meeting or not. My school goes on yet with some promise. Knowledge however puffeth up as it did in days of yore. I am in very great want of a schoolhouse which I hope to have in due time. But how I am to pay for one half of it I know not. However I mean to build if I have to wait for ravens to bring dollars to pay for it. We are all in the enjoyment of usual health. Love from us four to you four. Your bro. E. Bailey note on envelope: E. Bailey Wailuku March 4/41 Recd 15/41 ansd 17th The original is in the Mission Houses Library, Honolulu.