Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1859-04-15
NO. 9.


we have copy OF the Pacific Commercia
Advertiser Of February 18th, containing tn
details Of the great eruption at Mout Loa, Ha
wall Volcanic eruptiOHs have long been O
frequent occurrence on the Island of Hiwai
but one Of the magnitude, beauty, and sublim
ity of the present volcano has rarely been re
corded. None in the hist Isslf cefstsry ha
combined such an extensive flow of lava Will
the high and beautiful e'ection of tbs rnoltel
mass above the mouth of the crater.
The new crater is at an elevation Of soals
$500 feet above the level of the sea, and ar
equal distance from the summit Of Mount I.oa
The mouth is from 500 to 800 feet across, anc
circular To the brief accoefft published few
days ago, we add very interesting description
of this wonderful and majestic display of Ma
tere, from the Adreytisers notes taken on the
spot
The rim Of the crater is surrounded or made
up of cones formed from the stones or scoria
thrown out, these cones constantly varying in
/ extent, now growing in size and again all tuIn-
bling down. The lava does not simply run out
| from the side of the crater like water from the
side of bowl, but is thrown up in con-
tinuous columns, very much like the Geyser
springs; as represented in school biographies.
At times this spouting appeared to be feeble,
rising but little above the rim of the crater, but
generally, as if eager to escape from the pent-
up bowels of the earth, it rose to a height
nearly equal to the base of the crater. But
the columns and masses of lava thrown out
were ever varying in form and height. Some
times, when very active, a spire or cone of lava
would shoot up like rocket or in the form of
huge pyramid to hight nearly double the
base of the crater. IF the mouth of the crater
il five hundred feet across, the perpendicular
,lumn must be eight hundred feet to one thott-
sand feet in hight Then, by watching it with
spEglass, the columns could be seen to diverge
and fall in all manner Of shapes, like beautiful
fountain.
This part Of the scene is one Of true grand
eur-no words can convey a full idea of it to
our readers. The molten frey-redness of the
lava, ever varying, ever changing its form, from
the simple gurgling Of a spring to the hugest
fountain conceivable, is sCe1e that to be view
ed win be painted, in all its sraerdor and mag
nifeefsce; ON the nseRsory of the observer till
death. Large bouldcrs of fed-hot lava stone;
weighing huitkFeds, if not thousands, of tons,
thrown ap with ifteonceivsble power high above
the liquid mass, could be seen occasionally
falling outside or on the rim of the crater, tunl-
bling down the Zones and rolling over the preci-
pice, remaining brilliant for few moments,
then becoming cold and black, were lost among
the mass of surrounding lava So awfnlly
grand, so beautiful was this ever varying scene,
that the observer who sees it fY0lH COED po-
sition caunot help watching it with intense de-
light and increasing excitement for hours to
gether; the only drawback being the severe
cold which is found In the night, against which
travellers shold be provided.
A dense heavy column of smoke continually
rose out from the crater, hdt always in the
north side and took northeasterly direction,
rising in one continuous column far above the
mountain, to height of perhaps 10000 feet
freEa- -tle-eEatsS. -1his saolze h0xers over that
island, and indeed EIl the islands, and must at
times, when the trade winds lull, obstruct the
view. During our stay. however, it passed off
from the mountain leaving the lower atmos-
phere quite clear. We watched closely TO OBJ
serve whether any steam could be seen issuing
either from the crater or from any of the
streams of lava, but could not see any thing
that could be called steam or vapor, unless oc-
casionally very small indications along SOME of
the lava streams. None roee from the crater
itself-only dense, heavy sfftoke, which came
up out of the mouth itself. Considerable vapof
rose along the stream and as the molten lava
came in contact with trees and vegetable mass
es. but the mass Sf smoke came from the crater
itself Steam tsts noticed in various places on
the plain, isshing from the rocks, and near one
of the camps it was 30 extensive thait tea-ket-
tie could be boiled over il, But this steam
was undoubtedly caused BY heat of tE,e lava
stream, which was about a rrsfle distant, Coming
in contact with some pools Of Water in cavesor
pits
Cf' leaving the crater, the lava stream does
not appear for some dstat4te, sHS tn eight Of a
mile, as il has cut its way through a deep ra-
vine or guleh, which hides it from the eye
How deep this gulch may be is all conjecture.
as it is impossible to get near enough TO look
into it, but it probably is several hundred feet
deet. fhe ffrst then tlnst we see Of the
lava after being thrown UP in the crater is its
branching out into various streams some dis
tance below the fotssrtain head. Instead of run
ming I'M one latge stream, it parts and divides
into a great number, spreading out over tract
of five or sin miles from the crater, the descent
is very rspks, ard the kow Of the lava vsaries
from four to ten miles att hottr, according to
the desccEt. But when it reaches the pain
where it is level, the stream moves slower. Here
the strcaIft5 are not 80 nshTetotg as higher UP,
there being principal ofe which varies and is
very irregular, from an eigth to half d mfie' III
width, though there are frequerssly branches
running off from it. This principal stream
reached the sea neat w Wananah or fifteen miles
from Kawaihae, on the 3lst, after a flow of
eight days from the time that the eruption COM
menced on the 23d Of January. This stream
on reaching the sea, spread out to about half a
mile in width The sight OF it as it poured
into the sea, forming clouds Of stestm several
hundred Get high, is represrnseti by those who
saw it, as very beautiful.
Some of the finest scenes of the flow were
the cascades or falls formed before the streams
reacled the plain. There were several of them
and they appeared to be changing ard rcS ones
formed in different localities as new streams
were made. One; however, which appeared
without change for two days, must have been
80 to 100 feet in height First there was a fall
then below were cascades or rapids. To watch
this fall during the night when the bright rcd
hot stream of lava was flowing over it al the
rate of ten miles WIT hestt, Hke water, Was a
scene not often to be met. and never to be for
getten. In fact, the lava near its source had
all the characteristics Of Il river of watar flow-
ing rapidly along and glrgfng with cascades,
rapids, currents sid fSais.
On reaching the plain where il is more level,
the lava stream Of course moves along more
slowly and in one gcreraI stream less divided
than above The stream which had run into
the sea. had apparently ceased flowing and was
cooled over, SO that We crossed and re-crossed
it in many places, ami through the tiSsurcs we
could see the Molten lava with IFS res-hot glow.
an intense heat issuing out from them. In