The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1859-03-10
NOTICE
TO ADVERTISERS AND sUBsCRIBERs

gular masses on top. But this comparison is
far below the reaIity-to be conceived it must be
seem
After running distance of about forty miles
from its source, the lava stream entered the sea
at a small fishing village called Wainanalii, about
fifteen miles south Of the port of Kawahae, on
the morning of January 3lst. The eruption hav
ing commenced on the 23d of January, it was
consequently eight days in running over that dis
tance. OF this Rev. Mr.. Lyons writes
&c The poor inhabitants of wauanal, the name Of
the village where the fire reached the ocean,
aroused the midnight hour by the kissing and
ing of the approaching fire. and had but just time to
save themselves. Some of the houses of the inland
portion of the village partly surrounded before
the inmates were aware of their danger. Wainanali
is near the northern boundary of North Kona, and
| about twelve or fourteen miles from kawaihae 1t
is of course all destroyed, and its pleasant little har
! Dor all filled up with lava. The volcanic stream
one mile wide more in some places and much less
in others 1t crossed the Kona road and Interrupted
the mail communication. The whole distance OF the
flow from the crater TO the sea is some forty miles,
! The schooner KekauluoM was passing this viii
lagc at the time the stream reached the sea. and
several foreigners on board have described the
scene as one of terrific grandeur. Perhaps
cannot give a better account of it than to insert
here the description given of the meeting of the
lava stream with the sea in the eruption of lS4o:
.whcn the torrent of fire precipitated itself into
the ocean, the assumed character OF terrific
and indescribable grandeur. The magnihcenee OF
destruction more perceptbly displayed than
when these ahtagonisc elements met in deadly strife.
The mighsiest of earths magazines of fire poured
forth its burning biilows TO meet the n,ightiest OF
oceans. For two-score miles il came rolling, tuub.
ling swelling forward, awful agent of death.
Rocks melted like wax in its path; forests cracked
aud blazed before its fervent heat; the very hills
were lifted from their primeval beds, and sank be-
meath its tide, or borne onward by its waves;
the works of man to il but as scroll in the
flames; Nature shriveed and trembed before the ir
resistble flow Imagine Niagara's stream, above the
brink Of the falls, with its dasbing, whirng, mally
raging and hurryng on to their plunge, instantane-
ousy converted into fire, gory-hued river OF fused
minerals; the wrecks Of creative matter blazing and
disappearng beneath its surface; volumes Of Kissing
steam arising; smokes curling upwards from ten
thousand vents, which give utterance to as many
deep-toned mutterings, and sullen, confined, aud .
ominous clamorings, as ii the spirits OF fallen demons
were struggling against their final doom gases
decorating and shrieking as they burst from their
hot prison-house; the heavens lurd with flame; the
atmosphere dark, turgid and oppressive; the horizon
murky with vapors, and cleaning with the reflected
contest; while and hollow, the hot air swept
along their heated walls threw back the unearihiy
sounds in a myriad of prolonged echoes. Such was
the the fiery cataract leapng precipice OF
ffy feet poured its food upon the ocean. The old
line of coast, n of compact, induratei lava,
whitened, cracked, and fell. The waters recoiei,
and sent forth a tempest of spray; they foamed and
lashed around and the melted rock; they boiled
with the heat aud the of the conflicting agen-
cies grew fiercer and louder The reports of the ex
ploding gases distinctly heard twenty-five miles
distant They were likened to discharges of whole
broadsdes of heavy artillery Sireaks of the ntensest
light glanced like lightning in all directions; the
outskirts of the burning lava it fell cooled by the
shock was shivered into millions Of Fragments and,
borne aloft by strong breezes blowing towards the
land were scattered in scntant showers far into
the country For three successive weeks, the volcano
disgorged an uninterrupted burning tide. with
scarcely any dminution. into the ocean. On either
side for twenty miles, the became heated, and
with such rapidty, that the second day Of tho
junction fishes came ashore dead in great numbers at
Keaau fifteen miles distant. Six weeks later the
base of the hills, the water continued sclling hot,
aud sent forth steam at every wash Of the waves"