The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1852-12-10

Here in Hawaiinei, very few persons, of
either sex, who visit Kilauea, are at ali salts
fed with "looking into the crater" To stand
upon the brink and lock IN, but @hets the ap-
petite for the enjoyment of the feast Down
they must 60, gentlemen, ladies and children
A precpitous descent of q thousand feet
sulphurous gases; crumbling scorie ; red
hot lava; gushing jets of FIRE, have few ter
rors when the spirit of the thing has been
fully imbibed. Nothing will satisfy them
until they have stood upon the borders of the
burning lake, and in close proximity to the
dashing pillows of the molten sea, in the
very bottom.
1t is but Q fewweeks since parties of ladies
and gentlemen from Honolulu visited this
unparalleled crater, aud spent hours in ex-
pluring the very depths ofthat wonderful la
boratory. Amidst its heat, smoke and deadly
gases, they itayeled many miles, Examining
a beautiful specimen here. a sulphur bank
there, and a boiling lake in another place, till
the amazing whole became stamped uponthe
mind as food for memory during lifetime to
come.
The experience Of the olive Yankee" is alto
getber eclipsed by the every day, practice of
the ladies and gentlemen here. He "!ooked
into the crater of Vesuvius bot here we
enter it, and make acquaintance with tie very
spirit OF the volcano. To be sure, to DO this
we are Obliged to pass through a current of
deadly gas, which, if inhaled, would suspend
the breath and arrest the functions uf the sys-
TEN, but we hold our breath and rush on
We have to cross assure red few inches
below the surface with intense heat, but we
try It's edge with pole, and make the leap.
70 .ta k<.sl LII
which ever and anon dashes its livid
waves upon its rugged shores, and sends its
lshiyering atoms far and wide, like the DASH
ing of a wave upon the rocks but we retreat
when the dan er approaches, and return again
to the enjoyment. There is danger, no
doubt, but the excitement of the moment
overcomes the appreciation of it.
We shall never forget fact that occurred
On one OF our visits. We were just on the
point OF crossing a'feld of black lava which
appeared old, solid and perfectly safe but
as we..were stepping upon it--as one would
cross river Oh rough ice, a Jet of lava bnrst
up directly before Us TO the height Of twenty
cr thirty feet, &c large as hogshead, and
continued cplay TO. several minutes without
interruption. Of course we reiterated a little
on accou It of the heat; and well it was I'VE
did for in less than half an hour the field
broke up, and where we were ctossin,. the, c
was liquid lake of seyer.l acres in extent.
glowing with the most intense heat, and sur
ging like a mighty river, whose covering had
been suddenly broken by a food. But we
did not cross there; a half mile further on,
however, we did cross, and pursued our way.
We hope our Yankee friends will not boast
of having shocked into tn" crlter" again, but
come here and not, "look" but 20 down into
it, as we do and lay up store OF alnazement
at our own temerity, that will last { lifetime
10 look back upon. But With all the ap-
parent danger there il really less than stran-
era imagine. Immediate danger i, Away
preceded by some promonition which al
lows lime for escape; no fItal catastrophe
has ever occurred there. Some have been
burned, singed and scorched, while others
have narrowly escaped being submerged in
| boiling lava; but notwithstanding these
l"hairbreadth 'scapes,' none who visit the vol
cano are deferred from descending on ac-
count of danger. Nor need they be, bright
look out, with moderate share of caution,
will allow them to enjoy the wonder, without
4 IL - l.