The Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu (Oahu), Hawaii) 1840-1841, 1840-08-29

uIneS OF smoke and steam rolled heavily up,
rendering the lurd glare still more power
full, while the heavy detonations and loud
reports of exploding gases, and the roar
OF the conflicting elements were distinct
ly heard twenty-five miles off, like dis
charges of artillery.
With such rapdity and to such "a degree
was the water heated that the following day
June 9TH J the fish floatcd when dead, as far
as Keaau, fifteen miles distant, where The
water was hot to the touch Five weeks al
ter the sea washing up against the new for
med hills was still Of a scalding tempera-
ture.
No one has yet examined the original out
break of the lava, and it is impossible at
present to state It's precise locality From
the reports Of natives, it evidently cannot be
many miles to the east Of klauea At first
it was supposed that new crater was form
ed, but the present appearance OF the old
volcano, conclusively shows that the late
eruption had its origin from it: having
drained it as we have seen before, several
hundred feet Kllauea is forty miles inland
from where the recent stream discharged it.
self into the sea- The intervening country
has descent Of about one hundred feet to
the mile, varying of course according to the
irregularities of the surface A native who
said he had been to the source of the lava.
described it as gushing out of the ground
like spring of water which no doubt is the
case. 1t doubtless worked It's way by some
subterraDean channel from the old crater.
until it found weak spot in the earth and
gushed out Probably not at one place, or
at the same distance from the crater. but ir-
regularly along its whole course, as its grav-
ty forced vents; so that its source would pre-
sent nothing different from its sides. How
ever this is mere supposition and can only
be verified by surveying its whole length,
which want of time only prevented us from
accomplishing At first the lava was said to
have been divided into several streams, fol-
lowing along the old ridges Of the soil. Ash
continued to increase they met, and forming
one bo'ly. pushed its way on, filing up val
lies, swelling over hills, and when it met
with any great impeachment, spreading itself
out into lake. Thus four leagues from the
shore, it has formed one estimated at six
miles square, before it overcame the natural
barrier which checked its progress Preci-
pitatng itself over that like vast sheet of
water it continued its course from a half
mile to league in breadth, until it reached
the ocean.
The general direction of the stream is n
E., varying. from N. to E. Its whole length
IS, as near as can at present be Judged, be-
tween twenty and thirty miles, some say in
GLIDING its windings, forty. But all the data
in regard to its length, breadth and depth,
must at present be confined to mere rough
estimates, until it has become sufficiently
cooled to admit Of regular measurements.
Lava cools quickly and consoldates on its
surface, but in the interior the heat corcen-
trates, and remains for years. 1t will prob
ably be long time before smoke and steam
cease to arise from this. The depth of the
crust, as seen down the assures, was from
ten to twenty feet. Its average height above
the surrounding soil was eight feet. At first
1t flowed smoothly, and after remaining so
tor ten days, in cooling broke up into its