Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1850-03-21
Y. A R [ E T 7
The Crater of kilanea.

Mr.. Dana, in his Geology OF the U. >.
Exploring Expedition under the command
of Charles Wilkes, Esq, furnishes the
following interesting description Of Wis
it to the crater OF Kilanea, on Lua Pele.
in the Island of Hawaii, formerly spelled
" Owhyhee,'' one of the Sandwich Is
lands.
The traveller perceives his approach
TO the crater in few small clouds of steam
rising from assures not far from his path.
While gazing for second indication, he
stands Unexpectedly upon the brink o. the
pit. A vast amphitheatre, seven miles
and a half in circuit, has opened to view.
Beneath a grey rocky precipice of $50
feet, forming the bold contour, narrow
plain of hardened lava, the black ledge)
extends like vast gallery around the
whole interior Within this gallery, be-
low another precipice of $40 feet, lies the
bottom of wide plain of bare rock more
than two miles in length.
The eye naturally ranged over the
whole area for something like volcanic
action, as it is usually described. But
all was singularly quiet. In the dark
plain which forms the bottom there was
lille to attract attention besides the utter
dreariness of the place, excepting certain
spots of bIood-rei color, which appear
e! TO b, in constant yet gentle agitation.
Instead of beholding sea of molten lava,
rolling to and fro its fiery surge and fla
ming pillows, we were surprised at the
stiffness of the scene. The incessant mo-
ton of the b.ood-red pools was like that
of caudron in constant ebullitions.-
The lava in each boiled with such activ-
ity as to cause rapid ray of jets over
its surface. One pool, the largest Of the
three then in action, was afterwards as
cer.ained by survey to measure one thou
sand five hundred fee, in diameter, and a
thousand in the other: and this whole
area, into which the capital grounds a,
Washington might BE- sunk entire, was
boiling. as seemed from above, with the
mobility of water. Still all went on quiz
city. Not whisper was heard from the
fires below. White vapors rose in fleecy
wreaths from the pools and numerous IFS
sures, and above the large lake they coli
lected into broad canopy Of clouds, not
unlike the snow heaps Of cumui that lie
near the horizon in clear day, though
changing more rapidly their fancifuI
shapes. On descending afterwards to the
black ledge at the verge Of the lower pit,
half sEo,hered gurgling sound was all
that could be heard from the pools of la
va. Occasionally there was report
like thui of musketry, which died away
and left the same mustering Of boiling
duid.
At night though no less quiet.the scene
was one of indescribable subimty, We
were encamped on The edge Of the crater,
with its fires full in view. The large
caul1ron, in place Of its bloody slare,n now
glowed with intense brilliancy, and the
surface sparkled with shifting points of
dazzling light, occasioned by the jets in
constant play. A row Of small basins on
the southeast side of the lake were also
letting out their glowing lavas. Two
other pools in aaother of the pits tossed
up their molten rock much like the larger
cauldron, and occasionly burst out with
lets forty or fifty feet in height. The
broad canopy Of clouds above the pit,
which seemed to rest on a column Of
wreaths and curling heaps OF lighted va.
por, and the amphitheatre Of rocks around
the lower depths. were brightly illunina-
ted from the boiling lava while lurid
red tingcd the distant parts Of the inclo-