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

cracked elevated depressed moved from its attach
ments and adjustments 70 me SURROUNDING crust IN
cussons Of the earthquake phenomena which had felt
and fesrd during former residence IN Acapulco and
the exciting Impressions my nervous system were 1
similar and as sensible and curious. Elsewhere the |
would be great beneath huge sheet that
would crack across from the centre To the sides,
and become elevated that the assures would cape anS
the sides become sloping In this operation sing
nssu formed chasms aSd cus su n NOT S
ranges, and in igneous rocks allowing river channels
through barriers Otherwise impassable-these becoming
wider top proportion TO tie elevation Of continental
areas direction and durson Of the dyuamca
acting on their foundations In places where large
and thick sheets Of rock had been assured and uped In
,hs copica manner the molten agent producing hese
results woyd force Itself through the their base
and sprcai out forming yromontorcs or plains or would
your out the summit and down the sides Both
these geological SspecE are observable vast scale,
in the great islands Of ohau, Maui and Hawaii They
have oeen elevated IN manner similar 70 the sheets OF
rock lust described and there is scarcely large ravne
IN either Of thcn where the land has not forced outlet
some places this eruption Of lava is vast TO
obiterste tse lower part ct the chasm, and TO
overflow ard extend the original considerably into
the sea During my journey through these chssms
the coast before arriving IT Ho iorcibly
struck w , sor , vGsnc dAnascspe ana coo
until saw the molten rock produce similar displays on
small scale. The resembances Of force and TACT Of
cause ssrd effect unmistakabe; and they
deu:ica them in the two extremes Of any
81 stem physical operations in those, for instance
exhibited the microscopic and the grandest phenomena
OF cry SALVATION the deveiopement Of the minutest
flsue and the gigantic taxcdum Of the Sierra Nevada
or "a tire mathematical obedience TO the gravitatng
OF as;erod and Of Jupiter in their orbits around the
FUN.
oizmg care he erupve aspects at the mouth Of every
great ravne that passed N my subsequent journey
pgs around wes Maui and Oahu. The uplifting agency
was as clearly beautifully displayed in the ends OF
larger chasms at the gins of these islands by the
gushing up the lava the tension and dynamlca pres
sure of which had elevated the whole mountain
OF the islands, the elevation Of the conica and
fractured mounds that were forming before my eyes on
OF Hae.ek 10, on the summit Of East Maui probably
the and deepest Of all plutonic openings
manner In its elevation the basaic foundations Of the
rent and in attaining altitude Of TO- 900
on ,e north the other on The eastern side
Of its summiand through these rivers of lava have
flowed out covering the country below and from me
served that the stream had extended many miles IN
width the low lands. into the sea. Although had
visited wonderful crater five times, and descended
into il twice a. . depth OF twenty tive hundred feet
bad understood, with perfect csarness, the pos
sibity of its actual construction, until witnessed the
formation OF its oounteparts in miniature on the active
lava current Of Mauna Loa.
These important and geognosc facts having become
impress on my mind that the elevation ofthe crust
OF the EARTH esther In small or large areas Is produced by
the tension and dynamical agency of molten and fluid
matter underueah and that this molten matter and
be in state OF motion 10 produce the phenomena
Of elevation and depression Of the crust Of he Planet
explorations Immediately afterwards in the volcano Of
Kilauea. Here came near being disappointed in my op
as its active crater called where had expected 10
witness rkable ineneous phenomena was com
petey quiet and its surface was covered with huge sheets
Of smooth black and glossy lava, whose edges tapped
somewhat each other, and not the slightest action
ous vapors and Kissing sounds issued from the assured
sides OF that borrid pit Such stste Of repose Mr.
observed or noted by an previous traveller j was con
frmed, however, In my recent conclusions by observa
called tina, covers the entire circular chasm Of Kauea
eight miles in circumference. Although In travel
ling this noticed similar Inequalities Of surface and
miniature displays OF HILL valley chasm, dyke,
eruption, &c. a more magnificent scale than on the
lava stream Hlo still active outpourings
oozngs OF the molten rock as at that place. Neverthe
less during my explorations, came to long and fearful
fssure about twenty feet deep At the bottom of which
was fluid at white heat threw down frag
nent Of rock, and watching. observed il move a.
very sluggish rate in a southwesterly direc-
noi,ering this marvellous putonian gulf of feet
depth that stretched for three miles before me- and
mssing on the new and pregnant facts SO recently added
visible in tour places In the remote parts Of the
black eoge Stars shone In come regions OF the nrma
| ment bur space between them seemed unusually black,
and 50 se scen se BE- s,rsnsey DARK and dismal when
and perceived that the great lake in motion. The
brillancy Of the illumination is beyond description Is
air. The wild and desoae features OF this fearful abyss
were indn tncy revealed but the upper parts Of the
opposite wall OF the great lake itself refugentiy
ghted disclose view the lesser inequalities OF Us
precptous surface. wa, amazed with the awfulness
y, II
intense interest filed with the belief ina night full
Of grandeur and instruction was before me- II az sud
only istt eiimmer Of light remained. Little by little
the orgina darkness seted Kiauea aud otucr
outbreak occurred during the live long night
All my observations had tended to coni my belief
that molten rock in motion was the dynamcal agency
by which earthquakes and all movements OF the sol
fabric OF the islands and Of the earth at large
caused But the fiery lake Of Kauca inactive when
examined T. and have been compelled in my
searches for knowledge acquire those facts from
l
self in search. Accordney, on my return 70
who had visited Kiiauea in referanee N ,bfir Oh
seryatons Oh the motion OF the fluid IN the Great LAKE,
Tbs lake in correct use q language, is ANAL crater
apparently about hundred yards across, surrounded
with crest twenty feet high soping up from the unequal
floor Of great circular chasm OF 500 feet deep and
three miles IN diameter TO which has been given the
Of kauca. While the floor Of kauca, called the black
ledge, and them AZ long intervals broken up all
over and turned INTO sea Of fire. the crater viii h IN
February last $50 feet eeep, active, and the
level o. The putonic fluid rises and falls at irregular inter
yais ike quicksilver in the tube OF barometer water
| In wells that are Influenced by tides.
In this AXE beside, the movement Of fluid egta.ed
by ebulon, bad expected TO see motion, 10 direc
ton or other. similar TO tidal current and wholly in
dependent Of ebuiiton but have said the surface
was quiesccni during my visit and moved only 10
the eighteen hours that was 10 u neRhboSh00i. sob
seqrenuy, after conversation with Of intelligent
and reliable persons who had visited tie crater
gratfcd With The result of my inquiries and surprised al
the remarkable uniformity Of their observation an Estate
menis and will record them in this paper nucleus Of
act for he purpose Of Inducing The attention 10 ts subject
which justly deserves. Where these facts conflict 4 Z
not my object even TO attempt to reconcile them Future
observation viii determine the truth and unfold lave
10 this department OF terrestrial physics which VIII add
greatly 20 the glory and sublime extension Of moiern
science. Nor will attempt 10 oretaE science BY Linking
these discoveries 10 any hypothesis. Whether the mo
tons Of the uid bulk Of the globe-a Fundamental fact
that consider established beyons question by every class
Of geological eydencebe the result OF centuga npu,se
communicated by the planets rotation, a. theorccalJ
suggested by Mr.. Charles Sodder, Of Boston, bis ex
PLANTATION Of earthquake or OF the moons attraction
propounded by N. Alexis Perry, Of Dion 10 account Tor
the same phenomena. or OF a cosmica force yet
clearly demonstrated, but exered from the OF The
earth aud all other planets, force sntagonsc and
Induced by solar gravitaou, as promulgated by myself
In 1858, any other acceptable 70 any physicist
is not the object OF this paper to determine nor dis
The great fact and the researches 10 nconro
vertibly sabstartae Il, all that wish present
here
Asher y Bates, Esq, the Crown Attorney, Informed
that he had visited the crater twice al interval OF
several years and that both times be Observed besides