Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1861-03-22
LAKE OF FIRE.

correspondent OF the dHd California gives
the following incidents of visit to the Vol!
cano Kilanea, in the Sandwich Islands, thirty
six miles from lIilo. After saying that the era
Ter OF this volcano is in vast PIT in the midst
Of an immense.plain, having only a gradual
rise to the centcr-and that within n quarter
Of mile is the entrance to great cave
which he and his guide explored-he says:
Suddenly we came to high bank, and look
ing down We behed the lake of fire beneath
us about seventy-five feet This lake is some
thing more than a mile in circumference
There, in full view, were real waves of LIQUID
fire, OF bright red color, spluttering and
splashing like ocean wavesl A little island of
hard lava stnnds in the miadle of the lake,
against the black sides of which the waves Of
fire dashed with tremendous fury, and break.
ing on its jagged cliffs, they would cast their
red spray high into the air. The sides of this
lake are solid walls of red fire, glowing with
fearful intensity. We were standing on the
windwnrd bank, with a strong cold wind blow
ing down. yet the heat was so intense that we
could only look for moment at O time. then
turn away TO catch the refreshing influence of
the cool breeze. In addition to the roaring
and kissing Of the lake, we heard at intervals
sounds much resembling that of steamer
blowing off steam. only infinitely louder, m
ominious glowing of pentup forces struggling
in subterranean caverns, at which the very
earth seemed to tremble. Occasionally, large
masses of the cooled lava on tho edge of the
lake became detached, and falling into the
boiling cauldron, were instantly reduced to a
liqnid state.
After few minutes silence, disturbed only
by an occasional kissing and muttering, 1 was
startled by the awe-inspring sound of esca-
ping steam. In aD instanta faint glimmering
OF red, like sheet Of lightning, shot out from
under the overhangng brink where was
standing and ran across the lake. This was
signal for change in the programme. I'm
mediately the whole lake became of q bright
red color, and fountains sprang up in different
parts of the lake.
My eyes followed these with amazement, as
one after another they cast up great quantities
of pure liquid vermlllion colored liquid
These were followed by two others in rapid
succession, one Of which burst up near where
was standing. Running back. cowed under
the upper. bank and witnessed the gradest py-
rotechnic display of which it is possible to
form any conception. These six fountains
threw up jets from thirty to fifty feet high
The fountain, from the spray Of which I 80
hastily retreated, made large deposits of mol
tor lava on the bank where I was standing.
and when it ceased procured some verv rooa
specimens. A short period of inactivity en-
sued, and then the waves of fire commenced 70
roll and dash against the little island AZ wa a.
first saw them. Native tradition save that this
crater has been burning from time imnerno-
The most wonderful and mysterious phe.
nomena we witnessed was on the second day of
our Visit 70 the crater. 1t was noon and We
were sitting on high bank atyaunch I had
turned up my face to the wind, to avoid tho
intense heat Of the lske' was startled bv A
noise like the rushing together of vast bodies
o. water. The natives jumped up instantly
and raised an unearthly shout, ,scamperino IN
an opposite direction. Turning toward the
lake, beheld scene which never shall for.
get. ], too, had to run OF some distrnce to es.
cape' the grsatheat. The whole surface of the
lake vas in stat !of the widest conaInotion.
Wave clashed on wave. and all was confusion.
Tremendous billows Of fre rolled from every
side of the lake to the center. and meeting il /
feree conaict around the Island to The center,
broke Y:tht fury. over. its ssblack sides. Then
after recedihg again they fDshed 10 She onset
ones more, With increased force, snd meeting
together shot up into, the air perbaps 100 I
leetsohe Vast spiral body 81, red liquid lava,
which finally combed. over and fell in graceful I
spray beck into tho Lake again,