The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-04-27

n Ua1nAn ~ Y1fA OAe Vho0 49,
I'm Hsighs anaa River = 11aale FAIRY
nvs miles Long.
Z. ~ Law. Of more stupendoas. prdpSr. /
e. .hen .ny ever conceived Of u described
~ NJ Coan. in the Honolulu kk5sNd, OIL
Eshrnarv. n his account Of the efnpti0n Of
Mann. ia. on the island Of Hawaii:
The eruption commenced near the sum-
NIT Of the mountain, and only i've or six
miles southeast of the eruption in 1913. For
two DAYS this summit crater sent down its
burning foods along the northeastern slope
Of the mountains then suddenly the valve
closed. and the great furnace apparently
ceased blast. After thirty-six hours the ia
STA was seen bursting out Of the eastern side
Of the mountain, about midway from the top
to the base. ~ss..~
1t would seem that the summit leva had
found = subterranean, tunnel, for half way
down the mountain, when coming to . weak
point. or meeting with some obstruction, it
burst up vertically, sending . column Of in
caudescent fusia 1000 feet high into the air.
This FIRE Jet was about 100 feet in diamster,
and it was sustained for twenty days and
nights, varying in height from 500 to 1000
feet. The disagreement from the mountain
side was often with terrific explosions, which
shook the hills, and with detonations which
were heard for forty miles. This column Of
liquid fire was an object of SURPRISING bril-
liancy, Of intense and awful grandeur. As
the jet issued from the awful orifice it was at
white heat. As it ascended higher and high
er, II Redeemed like fresh blood, deepening
its color, unit, rim its descent, much Of it as
sumed the-color of clotted gore.
In few days it had. raised . cone some
800 feet high around the burning oriice, and
as the showers of burning minerals fell in
livid torrents upon the cone, it became one
vast heap Of glowing Goals, flashing and quiv
ering with restless action, and sending ont
the heat of 10000 furnaces in full blast. The
struggles in disgorging the fiery masses, the
upward rush of the column, the force which
raised it ], 1000 vertical feet, and the continn-
GUS falling back Of thousands of tons Of min
eral fusia into the throat 81 the crater, and
over a cone of glowing Goals one mile in cir
conference, was sight to inspire awe aud
TERROR, attended with explosive shocks which
seemed to rend the mural ribs of the noun
TAIN, and sounds to waken the dead and
startle the spirits in Hades. From this foun.
tain 2 river of fire went rushing and leaping
down the mountain with amazing velocity,
filling up basins and ravines, dashing over
precipices, and exploding rocks, until il
reached the forests at the base of the noun
tain, where it burned its fiery way, eonsum-
ing the jungle, eyaporating the water Of the
streams and pools, cutting down the trees,
and sending up clouds of smoke in murky
columns Of heecy wreaths to heaven.
All Eastern Hawaii was sheen of light.
and our night was turned into day. SO great
was the illumination at night, that one could
read without lamp, and labor, travelling and
recreation might go on as in the daytime.
Mariners at sea saw the light at 200 miles dis
Il yv0c obvsc
magnificent and marvellous than was made BY
an early monarch. In the daytime the at
mosphere for thousands of square miles,
would be filled with murky haze. through
which the sunbeams shed a pale and Mckly
light. Smoke. steam, gases, ashes, cinders
furnace or capillary or Elementary or vitri-
fcatons called Pelo's Fabricated in the
air, sometimes spreading out like fan,
sometimes careering in swift currents upon
the wind, or gyrating in ever changing colors
in the fitful breezes. The point from which
the level of the sea. thus making the ieneous
pillar distinct object of observation along
the whole eastern coast of Hawaii.
During the eruption the writer made an
excursion to the source. After three DAYS
of hard struggle in the Jungle and over fields.
ridges and hills of bristlng scoria, he arrived
near sunset at the field Of action All night
long he stood as near the glowing pillar as
the vehement heat would allow, listening to
the startling explosions and awful roar OF the
molten column as it rushed upward 1000
feet, and fell back in a fiery avalanch which
male the, mountain trembie. 1t was such q
scene as few mortals ever Witnessed. There
was no slice? for the spectator. The fierce,
red glare, the sabterranenns mutterines and
strgglings, the rapid explosions Of gases, the
rushes and roar, the sudden and startling
bursts, as Of crashing thunder-all, all were
awe inspiring, and all combined to render the
scene one of indescribable brilliancy and ter
rible sublimity. The rivers Of FIRE from the
fountain flowed about 35 miles. and stopped
within 10 miles of Hilo. Had the fountain
played ten days longer, i. would probably
have reached the shore.