Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1862-04-10

! a LAKE, OF FIRE.

"A correspondents OF the Alta Cal-
ifornian, gives the following Incl
dent of a visit to the volcano XII
lauea, in the Sandwich Islands, 36
miles from Hilo. After saying
that the crater Of this volcano is
in a vast pit in the midst of an inn
mense plain, having only gradu-
al rise in the centre-and that with
in quarter of mile is the en-
trance to a great cave, which he
and bis guides explored-he says:
Suddenly we came to a high
bank, and looking down, we beheld
the lake Of fire beneath us about
seventy-fye feet. This lake is
something more than mile in cir
conference. There, in full view,
were real wares of liquid fire, of
a bright red color, spluttering and
splashing like ocean waves! 4
little island of hard lava stands in
the middle of the lake, against the
black sides of which the waves of
fire dashed with tremendous fury,
and, breaking 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 wind
ward bank, with strong cold
wind blowing down, yet the heat
was so intense that we could only
look a minute at time, and then
turn away to catch the refreshing
influence of the cool breeze. In
addition to the hideous roaring and
kissing of the lake, we heard, at
short intervals, sounds much re-
sembling that of a steamer blow
ing off steam, only infinitely loud
er, and ominous growing of pent-
up forces struggling IN subterrane-
an caverns, at which the very earth
seemed to tremble. Occasionally,
large masses of the cooled lava on
the edge of the lake became de-
tached, and, falling into the boiling
cauldron, were instantly reduced
to a liquid state.
After a few minutes silence, dis
turbed only by an occasional hiss
ing and murmuring, l was startled
by that awe-inspiring sound of es-
Gaping steam. In an instant, o
faint glimmering of. red, like q
sheet of lightning, shot out from
under t he overhanging brink,
where / was standing, end ran
across the lake This was signal
for a change in the whole pro-
gramme. Immediately the whole
lake became Of a bright red color,
and four fountains burst up in diff
ferent parts Of the lake.
My eyes followed these with
amazement, as one after another
they cast up great quantities of a
pure Permillion-colored liquid
These were followed by two 9th
ers, in rapid succession, one of
which burst up near where I was
standing Running back, / cow
cred under the upper banks and
witnessed the grandest pyrotech-
nical display of which it is possible
to form any conception. These six
fountains threw up jets from thir-
ty to fifty feet high. The fountain,
from the spray of which l SO hasti-
ly retreated, made large deposits
of molten lava ON the bank where
| had been standing, and when it
ceased / procured some very good
specimens. A short period of in
activity ensued, and then the waves
of fire commenced to roll and
dash against the little island, as
we at first saw them. Native ira
dition says that the crater has been
burning from time immemorial.
The most wonderful and mys-
terious phenomenon we witnessed
was on the second day of our visit
to the. crater. It was noon, and
we were sitting ON a high bank at.
lunch, l had turned my face to
the wind, to avoid the intense heat
Of the lake. / was startled by
noise like the rushing together of
vast bodies Of water. The ma
tives jumped up instantly, and
raising an unearthly shout, scam
pered off in an opposite direction
Turning toward the lake, 1 beheld
q scene which / shall never forget.
4, too, had to run off some diss