In this 1875 travel memoir, Isabella Bird recounts her captivating journey through the enchanting Hawaiian Islands in 1873 at the age of 41. The narrative focuses on her daring exploration, particularly her challenging treks up two of the world’s tallest volcanoes located on the Big Island: Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. Starting her journey on Oahu, Bird explores the bustling city of Honolulu and the verdant windward valleys before setting sail for Hawaii’s Big Island. There, she is mesmerized by the ever-changing volcanic landscapes shaped by the continuous eruptions of Mauna Loa and Kilauea over the years.
Driven by a quest for adventure, Bird embarks on a courageous 13-hour ascent of Mauna Kea, scaling its 14, 000-foot icy summit without guides. The solitude and breathtaking views fuel her spirit. Buoyed by this accomplishment, she ventures to conquer Mauna Loa, the largest volcano on Earth. Camping along the way, she reaches the summit ridge at nearly 13, 700 feet, gazing over the vast crater Mokuaweoweo.
Bird’s journey is marked by overcoming steep trails, high altitudes, freezing nights without proper shelter, and physical exhaustion-defying societal expectations for a supposedly delicate Victorian woman. Her poetic descriptions of Hawaii’s volcanoes helped introduce their magnificence to the Western world. The allure of the landscape deeply captivated Bird, drawing her back to the islands in later years whenever she yearned for tropical adventures.
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