The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1852-08-27
The Late Volcanic Eruption ut ihe
=. Sandwich Islands.

/ SandWtch lsianus,
i The annexed interesting notice Of visit
to the scene Of the late eruption is copied
from San Francisco Pacific
"You doubtless have seen already in lie
Polynesian an accounted the recent erIps
tion on Mauna Loa; but 1s il was my priyi-;
lege to be near eyewitness Of il for TWEEN
ty-four hours, when its action was the most
magnificentjl will send you brief descrpx
tion Of what saw and heard. The frgs
eruption on the summit of Mauna Loa, ~
bout fourteen thousand five hundred feet
above the level Of The sea, Il only saw in The
distance, it being on the Hilo side, and OPP
posite from US. That out break was very
suddens and, ,as seenat Hi!o, wasmost mag
nificent where, though some sixty miles
distant, theiight was so great as to awaken
The sIumbering inhabitants. This was early
on the morning Of February nth. Il cons
tinued its aclion only about twenty i0uf
hours. then all was quiet sgsin, and 1t was
supposed that tht internal fires had sttffi-
ciently disg0rged themselves but early on
ths morning Of the Goth it burst out again
with great fury, half way down the tnoun-
tain, in Che very direction Of Hilo. II sent
Efourth~a liquid stream of great depth and
width, flowed at the rate OF several miles an
hour, threatening rpinto the village and Bay
of Hilo, thirty -six smiles distant. This
stream continued to flow, but with dimin4
ished activity, for more than three weeks.--
1t ceased TO flow entirely before it reached
Hlo, ending the painful suspense 50 long
felt there ' ,st 9ssF' a ks#
The light of the volcano at night was very
great, illuminating the surrounding country
iot many mllrs distant, and giving 20 the es-
efchanginS clouds the appearance OF aHim-
nense Dody OF Hire. Alter Witnessing THIS
lor seyerui nights, my desire 10 VISIT ~ be-
came SO strong that resolved 10 make the
long aid tedious journey, 10 lake a near view
OF this grand display the Almighty's pow,
er. Accompanied by Mr.. Faller, set out
on the lst day OF March. After travelling
through woods and over wide districts oliiaz
ked lava, we arrived at the vicinity q the
eruption on the forenoon of the third day, -
Its deep, unearthly roar. which we began 70
bear early on the day before, "waxed louder
and louder" as we drew nearer the action,
until It resembed the roar oil the oceans bIL
lows when driven by the force OF hurricane
against the roek-bound coast, or like the deal
enlng roar OF Niagara. ls;S
| We first reached the deep channel, through
which a wide stream OF liquid lava had how-
ed down the mountain, desolatng an area OF
vast extent; it had ceased to flow inthis di7s
rection, but was flowing still little distances,
at which we gazed with delight. The main1
stream was still beyond, which we could not.
approach on account OF the great heat out
at night we had fine view OF the fiery rlv3s
er, at no great distance from our encamp-
ment. Though the lava gushed out in sew
eral places like water-sprlngs, yet The nam
fountain was one olindescribable GRANDEUR.
) IN the midst ol toamiDg cone with a base
} EQi two or three nundfeq ieet, theTe shot up
Ia Jet,oi cea liquid laya 70 slielght oiif
iour to. elgnt hundred ieets combining ~ its
ascent ana descent all the beauties OF the
hnest water lountains--jet after jet ascend
Ell IN constant and regular succession, day az Z
Ter DAY descending mostly iell back INTO
the crater, but sometimes 1t lell spattering
f on Its sides, andlhowed down uniting with
the main stream. The outer portions cooled
to blackened mass while In the ar, the up
/ per and lighter portions were carried BY the
propelllng force to The regions oil ihe clouds,
ana ieii In showers over the surrounding
country. . IS
! Inc intense heat oi The fountain and stream
, OF lava caused an influx OF cool ar IN every
quarter; this created terrific whliT.l,wlndss--
WHICH, constantly stalking about Ike so ma
ny senlnels, Dade defiance 70 line daring VS.
lior. These were the most dangerous oiany
> tMnS about the volcano. Sometimes we
+ were compelled 70 PROSTATE ourselves ior
( safety. fonce we ventured within about q
r quarter OF a mile OF the great Jet soon one
one OF Inc most terrlhc whirlwlnds iormeu
8 at the crater, and advanced straight towards
4 US, threatening us with Instant rum, but
4 leaving US 10 make RAPID retreat.
II we saw similar one whining around tne
/ jet and concealing il with dense closd q
i ashes' as II engaged IN iurious compa', ine
n two con'ending elements presented most
h WOnuerlut spectacle. Wnen Inc Stflle CedS-I
eJ Az, ,,.,o. .oJ Il,