The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1859-03-10
The Eruption Of 1855.

This was fully described in our journal of the
issue of Juls 81, 1856, which we copy here
On the evening of the 11th of August, 1855. about
10 o'clock n small light, apparently of burning
brushwood grass, was seen near tue top OF Mauna
Loa which rapidly increased until the whole heaven
reflected its brightness, and turned the night INTO
dav So bright was il towards morning, that hne
newsnaper print could easily be read by the light.
II was certain that some unusual eruption had begun.
This light continued, varying in brightness Tor weeks
sometimes n dense smoky atmosphere obscured II
wholly but when clear, the sight as seen by vessels
ot sea is represented to have been grand heyonde-
s.r;ntion The seat of this eruption which is IN the
old traditional crater of Mokuaweoweo Is on the
summit of Mauna Loa, some l4,o0O feet above the
Lowell of the sea- in n region rarely visited by man.
We cannot give n better description of the beauty
and novelty of this grand sight, than by quoting Mr.
Coans account of his trip TO the crater IN Oc looo'
Taking the channel of stream which enters Hio
R,v as onr path we advanced with much toll through
the dense Jun gle along its banks. and rested at ght
at the roots of an ancient tree-havlng hane ABOUT
twelve miles The next day we made about twelve
miles more for the most part in the rocky oed OF the
,aom the water being low Volcanic smoke filled
,ha forest and charred leaves came floating on the
breeze and falling into the wild channel we were
threading. At right, when the shades gathered over
those deep solitudes unbroken save by tue oeowing
80 tho mountain bull the barking of the wild dog, the
of the forest boar the wing AMI the note OF the
restless bird, the chirping of the insect the ilng OF
time-worn tree, the gurgiing OF the fiii' ana ,he
forms under the trunk of PROSTATE tree ana here'
for the frs. tine we found that the molten stream
Iad nassed us in the jungle the lett, and was now
m,nv miles below Us its way TO Hiio But we
| oniJ NOT retreat and the jungle was nearly
! ;,nnenetrable in the direction OF the stream, we
nnrsued our upward way in the bed OF the river
prntl II p NJ on the third day, when we found our
selves out of the forest, and the high plateau at
,he base of the mountain cannot stop to describe
Tho beautiful the romantic, the wild, the wonderful,
in the hanks the narrows the widenings. the rocks.
,fe ra nids the cascades, the basins the caves ana
aa,ursl bridges of this solitary stream. Nor can
u Of the velvet mosses, the modest creepers, the
tioh fsstoons the sweet wild flowers, the gigantic
e,.n the ancient forests, and all the tropical glo-
n;as sbich are mirrored in its limpid waters We
j ! eedei nm artist aud naturalist to TX the glowing
/ anoraua TO paint the fora and catch the fauna oil
these romantic soiitu' es
When we emerged from the upper skirts OF the
t.o.,s dense fog obstructed our view of all distant
50 that could not see the sunint-nres nor
go the molten stream down the slope OF the noun
.a;. We encamped early in vast cave; but DUR
-. Tho night the stars came out, and the volcanic
"s av ved brilliantly from their high source down
~ Sides over the scorihed plains, and tar
s'sv,, IL in the forest over Hiio
Farlv in the morning (Friday, the oth.) we iefs
- "a sern and at ~ A. NJ, were on that black ana
,ser;nu o- stream for which we had been searching
e. more than three days. Almost as Tar as the
Ior .od reach. these regions had been flooded with
- Of fason-now. for the most part o's