The Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu (Oahu), Hawaii) 1840-1841, 1840-08-08
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e;,h. ,.ossiyely thrown up from the ocean. In
thss' Gr,naon of this we meet on that island
nd a, o,,er depth of soil, more vegetation, and
h ho (, more arabic land in proportion to its cx-
oo,s a than on the others, while at it's south
i b;s S,seru extremity only, exist two small era
md co... Age has reduced others, (f such there
ASST, "o,c 70 the level of the surrounding soil,
mv v, rothed them with forests, so that their
wa. limits are undistinguishable. On Oahu, the
until traces of volcanic action become more nu-
lized mprous. and the cratcrs larger, while on
con- Mani. the principal one forms mountain of
LIGHT. eleven thousand feet elevation. But it is
mind na until we reach Hawaii, that this terrible
cath agency assumes its grandest and most SUBJ
G.. we lime forms OF the age of this island we can
we ool; conjecture; it may have been coeval
with the flood, or have been formed since the
Wis. christian era. Certainly no one can travel
walls and view the mighty ruins of nature, and the
and nocess of creation and destruction as it
vious we're in perpetual contest, without realizing
lould ! the truth of the transtory existence of this
en-. I earth and that the day may be not far dis
Ehest nnt when indeed "the elements shall melt
ated with tervent heat" Hawaii is fearful ground
ton | to tread upon We are amazed at behodng
cur: the visible fires of Kauea and their terrific
1ces action but what are they, but a mere speck
inter- in comparison with the immensely and power
e, if ofthe force required to raise up mountains
the ofthree miles perpendicular elevation, with
ges, bases of one thousand five hundred square
)r in leagues. Hawaii was formed by continual
one and repeated cruptions, depositing layer of
very rock upon layer, until it attained its pres
cano en elevation, and for aught we know the
i'll same action is still going on, at present qu-
eIv, but ready at any moment to burst out
hful and ovcrwhelm its unsuspecting inhabitants
nd hp q Il ON hiatt,
ding tent, the interior of Hawaii is vast globe of
h of fire. against the sides of which, the luuifed
hum rocks dash their fiery spray, and roll with
it it unceasing noise, and it not for the num-
edge Der and magnitude of it's vents, it would be
5, in shaken to pieces by successive earthquakes
t of We who live amid these scenes scarce be-
light stow thought upon the dangers which en-
was vrOn But Vesuvius after having been
of a dormant for one thousand years, revived
eek and buried several cities in its devastating
t as streams, and the inhabitants of Catania, in
cent Sicily, regarded as fables the historical ac-
ing counts OF previous eruptiOns of Htna until
the they were themselves overwhelmed in a sud-
The den and instantaneous destruction; in many
'kly places where volcanoes have become over
WITH grown with wood, and covered even with ele-
ere CANT villas, they have with scarce a warning
ac- burst forth, and destroyed whole districts, as
not occurred as recently as 1912, at ST. Vim
ITS cents, West Indies, where nearly all the
II 1t plantations on that island were destroyed, the
Don lava flowing so rapidly as to reach the sea in
the four hours When this eruption took place
vel the earthquakes at Caracas, four hundred
the miles distant ceased, evidently showing that
or- there was connection between the two
ral places With such precedents. it would GER
the 'amly not be astonishing if any of these era
my 'ers which are at present quiescent, should
by at any moment burst forth, and renew similar
IN scenes of desoation and even Kauai may
led give vent by some submarine communication
he to the fires of Hawaii.