The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-08-24

very DAY before his eye. In act the more the geoogi-
al observer contemplates the sedimenty strata, the
more clearly must be become tasi .ne soa
overlyn globe Of rud ydbject 70 dynamica
impulses Of such omnpoent and PERSISTENT energy that
nc unt ains aud continents wAduate upon as fields
,f ice follow the tidal action ofpIe
1t is not however, the inee Qualities of the earths sur
ACE nsttutpg what IS called its physical geography
10 which would draw scientihc attention in this paper
but the and iorf by which the grand physca
phs OF elevar and depression OF the EARTH
md ocean bottom must be revoutionized from cycle
% cycle hereai~r and become modihed IN aspect an
elevation and fitness for the creation and distribution
1t is well known that in the month of August 1855,
ne lofty dome OF MAuna Loa in Hawaii opened near It's
SUNNI and poured forth torrent OF lava SO nuid tina
I rsl at first like water down the gentle slope OF
mo dntain only ceased the last OF February, after
owing between sixty and seventy miles IN torsu,u
stream from one to four niles WIDE winch reached
point about miles from the shore OF Byrons bay Be-
ing At that time IN san francisco ana Interested the
study Of volcanic peuomena relation to the dynamks
and general physics cf the globe as before alluded TO-
felt anxious 10 witness tins wonderful spec tacle an o.
ect OF observation and Instruction was not until late
a January however that could find leisure 70 embark
for Houof,ia. On the 10th Of February ! arrived at
hawsha m Hawai- aud oommencea ny Journey ,nso
had conferred with n, friend, Dr. Judd an experienced
traveller m Hawaii, relative 10 the best route for
thorough examination othe new crater and the great lava
which threatened Hlo With destruction. With the
utmost kindness this intelligent gentleman drew maps
and gave written directions Of various sorts, and
had ma lie large preparations long and arduous jour
ney 10 the summit Of Mauna Ioa from the great valley
formed by The lofty mountains OF Kea and Hadaaai ana
Loa itself had been ms ructed by DR.. Judd 70 take
guides horses aud pack buocks at Walmea about four-
teen miles from the shore of Ks waihe, and after reach
ing the lava many miles further on 70 cross IL
possible; but If not to ascend beyond pass me suh.
Of Mama and reach Ho by way OF the Old or ster OF
Esnes naa sSroueh wd and ocaresaue
country Astounding m wild cattle and was wen provided
for with provisions and aecoutrements But on arriving
about tea time the mission station OF Rev Mr. Lyons,
where kindly entertained, and at Mr. Parkers, some
miles further on, At the baseof Mauna Kea whose hosp
table roof was reached about nine O'Clock by moon
hight. every encouragement was offered to my
undertaking Not only the journey represented as one
the difficult in the world having been made only
once in the memory Of man, and then by the King DR..
Judd and SUITE years at the expense OF many horses
them were dead and no attendant could be obtained to
accompany me. Although much disappointed, was
compelled after days delay to take the road 70 Ho'
and from there commence my explorations
On arriving at Ho again encountered disappointment,
for the rams had set the summit Of Mauna Kea the
nearest mountain covered with snow the night be-
FORE and I could procure white man 10 accompany
me reliable natives who could speak the English Ian
guase 70 act Is guides Aer % @ WIN m
enced observer Of the volcanic demonstrations OF HAWAII
found that my knowledge OF the phenomena OF eruption
would not be materially increased at that late period by
the long hazardous excursion TO the top Of Mauna
Loa which had all along contemplated He announced
the important circumstance and very agreeable
the residents of Ho that the crater had IN great
measure ceased its activity and that for week the
stream Of lava had advanced only few yards.
Al nigh, could see iurid light few miles from Hilo
in The direction Of Mauna Ioa This was occasioned by
the burning shrubbery or trees that lhe lava had EN-
braced in the forest and which, on becoming dry would
take Ere from the molten lava II their roots and continue
burn after having fallen the black stream that had
was visible but during day and night great cloud Of
smoke poured iron the lower point OF It's linear
arose thai row and then were interrupted and which
mnished in quar- tity every day Rev. M Coan has a.
r, se s.psr Ss 1S Of this wonderful erupon
and not my intention 70 repeat his Description ou 10
give my observations made at much later period
than his and to philosophers and physicists
important conclusions derived from them an from the
observations Of other on the volcanic movements
Klanea other active craters in different regions OF
the globe The announcement Of these observations and
conclusions hore, may lead to more extended and sys
,smsac researches INTO ,n n, av
namcs of the globe and oil the other oodies Oh our
system.
my plan OF ascending 20 the crater or rather the
series OF eight new craers elevated on longitudinal MS
about IL COO feet above the and at distance pro
baby OF fifty miles rom Ho. The terminus OF the lava
shore and 10 this Mr. Coan very kindly offered
pany and TO spend night and two days IN any cx'
plorAtons might desire to make =.
our pain wound i he snowy summit Of Mamma Kea
studded with volcanic swelling tar into the sky
right and the beautiful dome OF Mauoa Loa ahead
but concealed in consequence Of It's gentle kope the broad
isndsespe. and The great distance Of The sum
nit from the districts below. Having penetrated
the woods for a long distance on horseback we
came TO clearing where previous visiters had
camped for the night Here unsadded the beasts and
taking attendants and provisions OF food and water picked
our way through half made and tangled path IN direc
ton where Mr. Coan had last visited the lava stream.
After proceeding mile through dense, most tro
peal Wilderness suddenly found myself stepping from
the most verdant and empowering foliage to broad
river OF black and rugged lava, the air above which
quiverng and intensely agiiaed by the radiaons from
IL cooling surface. My lrst impression vas that OF un-
speakabie at startling and great change
Of scenery For two hundred yards across, and far
above as could see and for long distance below, the
vcrdaut and LOFTY forest had been down and swal-
lowed up clean humiliation itself bad swept
stream some huge tree was len standing amid the black
tood, whose caves were scared and falling, others
were smoking and slowly consuming where they had
fallen. At the edges Of the forest where bounded tie
lava stream only The undergrowths Of shrubbery
wthered IN their foliage. IT. trees themselves, whose
branches extended tie lava, fresh and
dant before the lcry had stripped them 81 their
nearest companions Al hrst saw ignc action
Towing va although The signs 81 rccel activity were Wis
bc above and below But after overcoming my repug
tance 70 tread such perous ground and breh such
oyerheated air was led By Mr.. Coan 70 the lowest part
Of the lave, where, week previously he had witnessed
II no~ In slow stream perpsnd GUAR cliT thirty
two feet high and fall into branch Of the river Waluku.
lad advanced about five hundred feet further and there
stopped IN the bed o. the ryuet Tho cooling Of IT, front
however allowed such accumuatons 81 the hqpid lava
under the hardening crust above. and over which
subsequently travelled, TO deveope a small scale
exactly such phenomena as on large scale Witnessed
IN earthquakes, volcanic eruptoDs in the formation OF
complete and incomplete craers toe upng OF Islands,
mountains and continents the dynamic forces producing
whIsh results have heretofore been
planned understood The surflce Of this broad black
Held OF lava very irregular being uIl Of hills valleys
plains aud 81 pes many o which broken by hssgics
more less sde and long, and 70 different cxtents Of
depth. Through Of these bread and deep rents
could see the molten rock al red or white heat, and
either qulsscent or In very sluggish motion There
numerous holes where the lava running slowly through
the forest had flowed around the trunks Of whose
size bad resisted s pressure but which bad subsequently,
been burnt when the sap bad cyaporaief 10 Al
their ignition In come % these holes the red hit lava
visible fifteen feet deep and the trees still buru
ng we're stretched on the rock where they bad recently
fallen. One tree rel within any feet OF the spot where
we're dining. had broi ed my bacon on the lava that
was flowing ost Of assure not thirty feet IRON where
sat, and whea had finished my repast the spot where
stood 70 cook my covered with the flowing rock
indeed, Il had already become black and apparently
hard enough 10 bear my weight Ny observations Of
using character bat those Of strictly
scientac bearing the only Of which mention VIII
be made In this paper.
While exploring this novel and highly instructive Geli
my attention arrested by noises beneath and the
trembling an more persistent motion Of The thick