Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1852-08-06
Sandwich STANDARDIZATION OF gHaunn
E.Ga,
Correspondence OF the y. y. Tribune,
WaIohinn Hnlcnii NInrch % 1918

| UaIOhinu, Hdraii, March %, 1918
On my return to this place from Honolulu, a
/ few weeks since, | found an immense volcanic
eruption in progress, on the base of Mauna Loa
! | arrived on Friday, Feb %, and on the Monday
! following started with Rev Mr.. Kinney to visit
the new volcano. We took four natives with us
to carry our provisions and clothes, for since the
region through which we passed is an unnhab-
tied wilderness, we had 10 provide against hun
! ger and cod sleeping in canoes and wigWams
OF our own construction We were two DAYS
and half reaching the crater, distance of sew
enty five miles from Mr.. kinney's station. We
! walked most of the way.
We heard the roaring of the volcano at the
distance of forty or fifty miles, and saw its smoke
as il arose in an immense column at the base ,and
! spread out in magnificent arch above, present
ing grand appearance, especially at night
when lighted up by the masses OF red hot lava
below. But no language can describe the scene
Which opened upon US when, on approaching
within about two miles of the new crater ascen-
ded an eminenCe which overlooked both the era
ter and the river of fire that flowed from it down
the mountain side Our emotions were those
of mingled admiration, surprise and terror
There played fountain Of liquid fire Of such d.
mansions and such awful sublimity, shaking the
earth with such q constant and dcafning roar,
that no picture of the classic realms of Pluto
drawn by Grecian or Roman hand, can give you
any adequate conception Of its granduer. a few
figures may assist your Imagination in lis at
tempts to paint the scene. made the following
calculations, after careful observations during
nearly twenty-four hours, from different points
within mile of the crater and, after deliberate
| discussion with Mr.. Kinney and companion,
with different objects around us. Some of these
! calculations hpPn hv
what accurate measurement BY Mr.. Lyman, of
iIllo
The diameter of the crater, which has been
! entirely formed by this eruption, is about 900
feet, its height from 100 to $50 feet One part
OF the crater was raised 80 feet during our pres
ence on the spot. The hight of the column of
red-hot liquid lava, constantly sustained above
the crater, varied from 200 to TOO feet, seldom
falling below 800 It's diameter is from 100 to
800 feet, and rarely perhaps reaching 400 feet.
! The motions OF this immense let OF fire was
beautiful in the extreme, FIR surprising all the
possible beauties of any water fountain which
can be conceived constantly varying N form,
in dimensions, in color and intensity sometimes
shooting up AID tapering of like a Symmetrical
! Gothic spirc, 700 feet high; then rising in one
grand mass, 800 feet in diameter, and varied on
the top and sides by points and Jets, like the or
namcnts OF Gothic architecture. The New ofl-
er, who, as he gazes on the beautiful spire OF
of Trinity Church, can imagine its Dimensions
increased three-fold, and its substance converted
into rcd-hot lava in constant agitation, may, OBJ
tain tolerable idea of one aspect of this terrific
fire fountain. But he should stand at the feet of
Niagara Falls, or on the rocky shore of the At
lantic, when the sea is dashed by a tempest, in
order to get the most terrific element in this sub
lime composition of the Great Artist. For you
may easily conjecture that the dyanamical force
necessary to raise 100000 to 100000 tons of la
va at once into the air would not be silent in its
operations.
But must dcsist. 4 volume would not con-
tain ell the thoughts could write you opon this
topic.