We report the results of a set of measurements of volcanic gases on two small ground level plumes in the vicinity of Pu‘u ‘O‘o cone on the middle East Rift Zone (ERZ) of Kīlauea volcano, Hawai‘i on 15 June 2001 using open-path Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The work was carried out as a reconnaissance survey to assess the monitoring and research value of FTIR measurements at this volcano. Despite representing emissions of residual volatiles from lava that has undergone prior degassing, the plumes contained detectable amounts of CO₂, CO, SO₂, HCl, HF and SiF₄. Various processes, including subsurface cooling, condensation of water in the atmospheric plume, oxidation, dissolution in water, and reactions with wall rocks at plume vents affect the abundance of these gases. Low concentrations of volcanic CO₂ measured against a high ambient background are not well constrained by FTIR spectroscopy. Although there appear to be some differences between these gases and Pu‘u ‘O‘o source gases, ratios of HCl/SO₂, HF/SO₂ and CO/SO₂ determined by FTIR measurements of these two small plumes compare reasonably well with earlier published analyses of ERZ vent samples. The measurements yielded emission rate estimates of 4, 11 and 4 t d^-1