The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-05-02
SUBLIME SPECTACLE
A Column OF Fire One Thousand Feet I'm
Height, and n River of Flame Thirty.

a OSlUun OF Fire one InOuaAmd Feet In
Height, and y River of Flame Thirty.
1--WE Miles Long.
Jet OF lava OF more stupendous proportions
than any ever conceived of is described nv MIR
Coan, IN the Honolulu Friend OF February, in
his account oil the eruption OF Manua loa on
the Island OF Hawaii:-
The eruption commenced near the summit of
the mountain, and only i've or six miles sou th.
east of the eruption oil l8i3. For two days this
summit crater sent down its burning floods
along the northwestern slope OF the mountain;
then suddenly the valve closed; and the great
furnace apparently ceased blast. After thirty
SIX hours the fusia was seen bursting out of the
eastern side OF the mountain, about midway
from the top to the base,
IL would seem that the summit lava had found
subterranean tunnel, for half way down the
mountain, When coming TO weak point, or
meeting with some obstruction, it burst out
vertically, sending a column of incandescent
1usla lOOO feet into the air. This fire Jet was
about 100 feet in diameter 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 explo.
sions, which shook the hills and with detonq-
tions which were heard forty miles. This
column OF liquid fire was an object OF surpass.
ing Drllhancy, OF intense and awful grandeur
AS the jet issued from the awlpl orihce it
was at white heat. As it ascended higher
and higher 1t REDEEMED like fresh blood, deep
eniDg ITS color, until, in its descent much of
1t assumed the color of clotted gore.
In few days it had raised a cone some 800
feet high around the burning orifce and as the
showers OF burning minerals fell in livid tor.
rents upon the cone, it became one vast heap of
glowing Goals, flashing and quivering with rest.
less action, and sending out the heat of ten
thousand furnaces IN tull blast. The struggles
IN dlsgorglng the fiery masses, the upward rush
OF the column, the force which raised it one
thousanu vertical feet, and the continuous tall.
ing back OF thousand, OF tons of mineral fusia
into the throat of the crater, and over cone of
g'oWlng Goals one mile in circumference was q
sight 10 inspire awe and terror attended with
explosive shocks which tO fbn
mural ribs of the mountain, and sounds TO
Waken the dead and starte the spirits il Hades.
From this fountain river OF fire went rushing
and leaplng down the mountain with amazing
velocity, filling up basins and ravines, dashing
over preclplces, and exploding rocks, until it
reached the forests at the base of the mountain,
where 1t burned its fiery way, consuming the
jungle, evapora'ing the water OF the streams
and pools, cutting down the trees, and sending
up clouos OF smoke in murky columns OF heecy
Wreaths to heaven.
ALI Eastern Hawaii was a sheet 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 recrea.
ton might go on as IN daytime. Mariners at
sea saw the light at two hundred miles distance.
1t was pyrOtechnical display more magnificent
and marvellous thar. was made by an early
monarch. In the daytime the atmosphere for
thousands OF square miles would be filled with
q murky haze, through which the sunbeams
shed pale and sickly light. Smoke, steam
gases, ashes, clnders, furnace or capillary or
VI NltIluCd'IlnS, bOnotlmeS SDread-
ing out like @ ian, sometimes careering in
swift currents upon the wind, or gyratng in
ever-chaneiDg colors in the ftful breezes. The
point from which the fire fountain issued is
10000 feet above the level of the sea- thus max
ing the ieneous pillar distinct object of observa
tion along the whole eastern coast of Hawaii
During the eruption the writer made an excur-
sion to the source. After three DAYS of hard
struggle in the jungle and over the fields, ridges
and hills of brisling scorIa, ne arrived near sun.
set 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 eX-
plosions and the awful roar of the molten
column, as it rushed upward 1000 feet and fell
back in fiery avalanche which made the noun.
talns tremble. 1t was such scene as few
mortals ever witnessed.
There was no sleep for the spectator The
fierce, red glaze, the subterraneous mutterings
and strugglings, tue rapid explosion 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 indescrbable briliancy and terrible sub
Unity. The rivers Of fire from the mountain
flowed about thirty.fve miles and stopped within
ten miles of Hilo. Had the fountain played ten
days longer, it would probably have reached the
shore.