Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1841-05-27
SPLENDID ERUPTION or \ VOL
CANO

I
We arc indebted (says the Newark Daily
Advertlser) to an officer of The Exploring Tx.
petition for files Of the Poynesian, useful
little paper published at the Sandwich Is.
lands, and transfer tho following extract from
full account Of the last volcanic eruption
which was briefly referred to by our cores
pondent III late letter. as having been wit
messed by the officers of tho squadron:
"Several days before the eruption, smoke
was seen by the natives rising from the direc-
ton where the lava afterwards burst out, but
1t was attributed to brush on fire. At 2 o.
clock on Sunday, the last day ofMay, a bright
light was seen from Hilo toward the South.
which spread with great rapidity, and increas-
ed to such an intensity that it was immed-
ately attributed to volcanic eruption. This
the reports of the natives soon confirmed. 1t
was judged TO be thirty miles distant, and az
night such was the briliancy of the light tina;
the inest print could be read at that distance.
This noontide brightness, converting night
Into day, continued for Two weeks, and is
represented by eye-witnesses to have been a
spectacle OF unsurpassed sublimily. 1t was
like the glow OF "a armament Oh FIRE, and was
seen for upward of hundred miles at sea-
1t also rose and spread itself above the lofty
mountain peaks, so as to be distinctly visi-
BILE on the leeward side Of the island, where
the wind drove ile siho,a il, dense ai,,i Illus.
sy clouds.
''The lava continued flowing toward the
sea, which 1t reached on Thursday, four
days from its first egress. At times it would
/ rush forward with velocity of four to five
miles per hour, but for a short distance only,
then become very sluggish and move heavily
and slowly on. Its general movement was
IN immense semi-circular masses, owing to
! Its great consistency. These would roll on,
gradually accumulating, until the mass had
become too heavy to hold itself together
while the exterior WAS partially cooled and
sollclhed ; then bursting, the liquid interior
flowing out would Join q new stream, and
thus AID III forming another. BY these ac-
celebrated progressive movements, the wave
like ridges were formed, which are every way
observable on the older currents. AZ times,
1t forced its way under the circumjacent soil
presenting the singular appearance of earthly
rocks and trees III motion like the swell OF
the ocean. Mr.. &. was standing near the
stream and watching It's progress, when the
land beneath him began to rise, and in few
minutes ne was ten feet above his companions,
who were bat short distance from him. He
had barely time to leave this dangerous stu
| alton when the earth opened and lava gushed
out. The color of the whole stream was OF
the deepest crimson. On the windward side
It's heat was not SO powerful but that persons
could approach and plunge sticks into the
| fiery mass and draw forth specimens. SO
great was its viscidity, that large rocks were
seen floating down the water like cork upon
the water. In one night the stream spread
from few rods 20 haifa mile in width.
1.-The spectacle, when this burning mass
reached tie sea must have been awful and
sublime in the highest degree. The conflict
between the two antagonist powers, fire and
water, was on scale which the eye of man
but seldom witnesses. fhe heavens were
lit up in one intense glare, while streams Of
fire, like lightning, glanced about in every
direction. Ashes and sand were thrown 10
Il great height in the air, and descended for
miles distant in showers Of fiery spray. Vol
umcs of smoke and steam rolled heavily up,
rendering the lurid glare still more powerful,
while tho heavy detona,ions and loud reports
Of exploding gasses and the roar Of the con
fiicling elements were distinctly heard TWEEN
J iy-five miles off, like discharges of artillery
: with such rapidity and to snch degree
l WAS the water heated, that the following day
(June SHY the fish tloated when dead, as ia
as keau, fifteen miles distant, where the wa
t Ter was hot TO the touch"