The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-06-04
THE LAKE OF FIRE.


The following description of lake Of
fire, in the crater of Volcanoe on the
Sandwich Islands, will be read with in
terest: -
But the whole crater had not yet
been seen. Not having been able to
reach the lake from below, we resolved
to approach and look upon it from above.
In the face of driving rain storm, Mr..
Hussey, my very agreeable travelling
companion, the guide and myself set out
on foot for a walk of five miles to the
desired point. The whole Of the crater
was full of steam and smoke, and doubts
were entertained whether we could get
a view of the bottom; but on we went,
trusting for better things, in which We
were not disapp ointed.
Before reaching the bank of the
above lake, and while it was hid from
view, we could distinctly hear the soundt
of its splashing waves, SO like, and so.
unlike the breaking of the surf upon the
oceans shore. There was a mingliDg of
sound of rushing waters with its own
dead, heavy, kissing one. A moment
more and we stood upon the brow
of perpendicular wall of thousand
feet, and directly above the lake, and
there we sat ourselves silently upon the
rocks to look down upon it. It differed
from what we had seen before. The lu-
rid light of the previous night, was gone,
and the beautiful pictures which helped
to make up that scene were absent; but
in their stead there were others more
appalling and full of terrors. Here In
close proximity and in plain sight, was
Z" lake burning with 6re," may be un-
quenchable, and it required only the
walls of the tormented to complete the
dread description Of hell
"The lake was in size some half a
mile in diameter, and one and a half in
circumferencc-nearly round its sur
face was raging with great violence, and
was when unbroken, black or dark, but
when agitated violently, as was the CEN
ter continually, its color was blood red.
Every few moments the lava would be
thrown up fifty feet in Jets. and then, as
if lashed into fury, great waves would
chase each other boiling and foaming,
red with heat, if not with anger. Strange
sounds saluted the ear, as we'll as strange
sights the eye. Occasionally loud re-
ports were heard. Then the peculiar
sound of escaping steam as if a thousand
boilers were blowing off their pent up
steam at once, and the dead, heavy sound
of the disturbed lava was continuous.
Altogether, it was the most startling
scene I ever witnessed.
"Just beyond the burning lake, was
the great cone, now black as night, from
which the intensely brilliant light had
shone the night before. Fit chimney,
indeed, for the fire beneath. Its pro-
portions were gigantic, its capacity i'm
mense, and it was belching forth at in
teryals vast volumes of smoke and steam,
making up grand but an awful picture,
impossible to describe, but never to be
forgotten.
@On our return from the view Of the
lake, we. passed the sulphur banks.
They are located about quarter of a
mile from the upper bank of tho crater,
on slightly depressed plain or valley.
They are less than half mile in length,
and full of holes through which hot steam
SIS issuing. and about which beautiful
crystals of sulphur are hanging. In
securing some specimens I burnt my
fingers in the steam. The natives call
this bank of sulphur Pete's Dunghill. "