The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-04-14

Volcanic Eruption in the Sandwich
Islands.
} Dates to the 18th of February. Grea
excitement existed on account of tn,
eruption of the volcano Mauna Loa. Th,
coasting schooners were doing a goot
business in carrying passengers from
different parts of the Islands to witnes.
it. A correspondent of the AHa Cal;for
nian. writing from Honolulu, February
the 18th, says:
On Sunday, January 23d, at o'clocl
T. M, without any of the usual Fremont
tory phenomena Of earthquakes, subter.
renean sounds, or sultry weather, the
lava burst out some three thousand feel
from the summit of Mauna Loa or ten
thousand feet above the level of the sea,
and such was the rapidity of the flow,
that before morning spectators at Hilo, a
distance of 60 miles from the eruption,
were of the opinion that the lava had run
a distance of twenty-five miles down the
mountain side. Inscription is declared
by old residents to be greater in volume,
and more magnificent in appearance,
than any previous one that can be re-
membered.
AT Labains, distance Of over one
hundred miles from the crater, on Satur-
day night, the 29th of January, the vol
cano was distinctly visible, illuminating
one third of the heavens, like that of an
immense and neighboring conAagration
and from elevated positions it is asserted
that shoots of liquid flame could be seen
at intervals as the immense cauldron
"boiled and bubbled." The sea lighted
up with reflection of the fame every
where within one hundred miles of the
crater, and the coasting vessels enjoyed
the advantage without the presence of a
full moon. Lots of dead fish were OBJ
served floating about III the neighbor-
hood of the Islands, both before and
since the commencement of the eruption,
and the inference is, that they were Kill
led by submarine fires or heat connected
with the volcano. We of Honolulu,
have experienced sensible change of
climate, which fact is also attributed to
the eruption.
By last accounts, not far from one
thousand square miles Of surface of the
Island of Hawaii must have been cover
ed by the burning lava, causing a great
ratification of air all over that space AS
a consequence, our usual trade winds
have veered towards the north, and cold
currents of air rushed constantly over the
the island to restore the equilibrium
Hawaii lying on the southeast of Oahu.
The weather has been uncommonly cool
in Honolulu ever since the 23d ult.,
especially mornings and evenings, the
thermometer frequently falling as low as
60 degs something very strange here.
where our temperature is so uneven,
averaging for years together rs degs.-
some parties go so far as to say that at an
elevation of 1900 feet hoar frost was seen
one day last week.
The party who left here per Kamol,
on the Sd instant, to visit the eruption,
returned ON the tenth; having been alb
sent only seven days, two of which were
past in the ne eighborhood Of the flow
They describe the scene as inexpensive
ly grand, but that language can not be
found to convey an adequate conception
of its impressiveness. The eruption is
on the west side Of Mauna Loa, new era
ter estimated at five to eight hundred
feet across, having formed there, from
which the liq;d mass was momentarily
elected in immense jets ofa thousand to
fifteen hundred feet high, and falling
over the side. poured down toward the
sea. This it reached on the 3lst ult., at
a place called Wainanelii, about twelve
miles to the westward of Kawnihae, and
40 miles, from the crater. Here it des-
troyed native village. and a fine grove
Of coconut trees, running out into the
sea two miles, and entirely filling the lit
tie harbor. The inhabitants of the har-
Dor were reused from "the slumbers of
midnight" by the approach Of the liqid
FIRE. and had hardly time to save them
selves. At this point the stream is only
two hundred yards in width, and By last
had cooled over on the surface,
so that one can walk over it, at the risk,
however. of breaking through the thin
crust into the still flowing stream be-
meath. Where the fire meets water, a
very splendid si1ht nresants itself old I