New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-07-24
SANDWICH ISLANDS.
Eruption Of Mnuna LOa.
Correspondence OF The n. Y. Tribune.
WMomNU, HAWAII March -, lsJ


Correspondence Of The y. Y. Tribune.
WAomNU HAWAII, March %, 1872.
On my return TO this place from Homo
lulu, few weeks since, found an immense vol
canc eruption in progress, on the base OF Mauna
Loa | arrived on Friday, Feb. % and on the
Monday following started with Rev. Mr. Kinney
10 visit the new volcano. We took four natives
with us, to carry our provisions aud clothes, for
since the region through which we passed IS an
uninhabited wilderness, we had to provide against
hunger and cold, sleeping in canoes and wgwams
of our own construction. We were two days and
a half reaching the crater, a distance Of seventy
FIVE miles from Mr.. Kinneys station. We walked
most OF the way.
We heard the roaring Of the volcano at the
distance Of forty fifty miles, and saw its smoke
as it arose in an immense column at the base, and
spread out into q magnificent arch above, pre-
sentDg 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 appro aching
within about two miles of the new crater, we
cended an erninenoe which overlooked both the
crater and the river Of fire that 40 wed from it
down the mountain side. Our emotions were those
of mingled admiration surprise and terror. There
played tountaia Of liquid fire Of such dimen-
sons and such awful sublimty, shaking the earth
with such constant and deaening roar, that no
picture of the classic realms of Pluto, drawn by
Grecian or Roman haad, can give you any aie-
quate conception OF its grandeur. few figures
may assist your Imagination in its attempts to
paint the scene. | made the following cacula-
tions, 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
have been confirmed by somewhat accurate
measurement by Mr.. Lyman, of liIlo.
The diameter Of the crater, which has been en-
tirely formed by this eruption Is about 900 feet
it's hight from 100 to $50 feet One part of the
crater was raised 30 feet during our presence
the spot. The hight of the coumu of red-hot,
liquid lava, constantly sustantd above the crater,
varies from 900 to 700 feet, seldom falling below
800 Its diameter is from 100 to 300 feet, and
rarely perhaps reaching 400 feet. The motions of
this immense jet of fire were beautiful in the ex-
IRENE, far SURPRISING all the possible beauties Of
any water fountain which can be conceived con-
stantly varying in form, in dimensions, in color and
intensity sometimes shooting up and tapering off
like symetncal Gothic spire, 700 feet high then
rising in one grand mass, 300 feet in Diameter and
varied on the top and sides by points and jets,
like the ornaments of Gothic architecture. The
New orker, who, as he gazes on the beautiful
spre of Trinity Church, can imagine its dimensions
increased three-fod and it's substance converted
into redhot lava, in constant agitation, may oh
tain tolerable idea Of one aspect Of this terrific
FIRE fountain. But he should stand at the foot of
Niagara Falls, or on the rocky shore OF the At
lantic, when the sea is lashed by tempest IN
order to get the NEST terrific element in this sub
lime composition Of the Great Artist For you
may easily conjecture that the dynamical force
necessary to raise 100000 to 100000 tuns oflava
at once into the air would not be silent in its
operations.
Bpt J must desist. \ volume would not con.
lain all the thoughts could write you upon this
topic.
The eruption Of which have written broke out
on the morning Of the 18th of March, at about
o'clock, and continued twenty days. The crater
is situated on the base Of Mauna Loa, about 30
miles from IIilo, and - from the Old crater of Xii
anea. Its hight, above the sea, is about 1000
feet. 1t has formed stream, winding DOWN the
mountain side, with several branches 80 or 40
miles long, from one fourth to two miles broad,
having depth, in some places, of 4tO or 300 feet.
was at the crater VIII the action was the most
intense, and / judged the amount of lava thrown
out of the crater and the several fountains below
was not less than one tun second, during the
day and night was there, and for several days
before and after il. The people of llllo were
much alarmed, az one time, as the lava stream
was flowing toward them. But could they have
seen the confguration of the country above them,
as did, they would have found their fears of
danger fro the lava stream to be grOundless; as
i could not reach them without running over
quite an elevated spar of Mauna hea, or, other
wise, running round the spur through a part OF
the district Of Puma. In the frs. place, it must
violate the laws of fluids and run up hill aud in
the second place, il would seek the sea in Puma
rather than tnrn back toward llilo. But the
danger Is now past the grand exhibition is closed.
Where the next will open we know not But tho
scene, even now, in its silence and solitude, is
worth a visit from the United States. | think DO
held Of the same extent in the wide world aiJ,ds
10 fine an Opportunity for the study of volcanic
action and phenomena.
Fusiuve slave in Chemuug.