, 1866-04-24
SUBLIME SPECTACLE.
4 Column Of Fire one Thousand Feet
In Height mud a River OF Rlame

4 Column Of Fire one TbounRnd Feet
In Height mud River OF Flamc
1'lstrty-ilve Miles Long.
4 JET Of lava OF more stupendous propor-
tions than any ever conceived Of Is described
by Mt. Coan, IN the Honolulu Friend, Of Feb
runry, in his account of the eruption OF
Manua Loa, on the Island Of Hawaii:
The eruption commenced near the summit
Of the mountain, and only five or six miles
southeast uf the eruption in 1s43. For two
iug Hoods along the northwestern slope OF
the mountain; then suddenly tue valve
closed, and the great furnace apparently
ceased blast. Alter thirty six hours the flsIn
was seen bursting out Of the eastern side of
the mountain, about midway from the top to
the basc.
It would seem that the summit lava had
found subtcrTanean tunnel, for halfway
down the mountain, when coming to weak
point, or meeting with some obstruction, it
burst out vertically: l, sending column Of in
Tits fire jet was about 100 feet in diameter,
and 1t was sustained for twenty days aud
nights, varying In heighth from 500 to 1000
feet. The disagreement from the noun
tain side was often with terrific explosions,
which shook the bills, and with detonations
which were heard for forty miles, This
column Of liquid fire was m object Of sur
passing brilllancy, Of intense aud awful gran
deur. As tho JET issued from the awful ori-
flee it WAS Mt white heat. As 1t asccndcd
higher and higher, 1t reddcned like lrcah
blood, deepening its color, until, In Its de-
scent, much cf IL assumed the color of c1ot-
In d few days It had raised cone some 800
feet li.h around the burning oFitlcc, and, as
the showers Of burning minerals fell in livid
torrents upon the cone, it became one vast
heap Of glowing Goals. flashing and qniyering
with restless action, and sending out the heat
IF tan hon f7,r1, Sr,f full
struggles in disgorging tue fiery masses, the
upward rush Of the column, the torcc which
raised 1t one thousand vertical feet, aud the
continuous falling hack Of thousands 0; tons
OF mineral fusia into the throat Of the crater,
and over cone Of glowing Goals one mile In
and terror, attended with explosive shocks
which seemed to rend the mural ribs of the
mountain, and sounds to wakcn the dead aud
startle tho spirits in Hadcs. From this fouu-
tain river Of fire went rushing and 1eapine
down the mountain With amnzing velocity,
preeipices, aud exploding rocks, until it
reached the forests at the base Of the noun
tain, where it burned Its fiery way. consuming
the Jungle, cyaporating the water OF the
streams and pools, cutting down the trees,
and sending up clouds Of smoke In murky
columns Of ileecy wrcaths to heaven.
All Eastern Hawaii WIS sheet Of light, and
our night was turned into day. So great
was the Illumination at night, that one could
read without lamp, and lahur, trayellingflnd
recreation might 70 on as In tn, daytime.
Mariners at sea saw the light at 200 miles dis.
lance. 1t was pyrotechnical display more
magnificent and marvellous than VAS made by
pllere for thousands Of square mics. would
be filed With q murky haze, through
which the sunbeams shed a pale and
| sickly light. Smoke, steam, gascs, ashes,
| cindcTs-turnace or capillary OF tilamcntarv
or Notifications called Pelo's halr-aoated in
the mir, sometimes spreading out like fan,
sometimes careering In swin currents upon
IN The titfn1 breezes. The point from which
the fire fountain issued Is 10000 feet above
the level Of the sea, thus making the Eg,
neous pillar distinct object of observation
along tie whole eastern coast Of Hawaii.
During the eruption the writer made au e1.
bard struggle in the jungle and cree the fields,
ridges and bills Of brfstllug scoriA, he arrived
near sunset at the field uf action MI night
long he stood As near the glowing pillar a.
the vehement heat would allow, listening to
tho startling explosions and the awfuf roar q
the molten column, a. it rushed Upward OK
feet md fell back In fiery nyalanch which
made the mountain treulble. Il was 6uct
scene as few mortals ever Witnessed
There was DO sleep for tho spectator. The
ticrce, red glare, the snbterraneoB mutta ing
and etruggiings, the rapid explosion o
gases, the rushes and roar, tht sudden ant
startling bursts, as Of crashing ttunder-al1
sender the scene one Of fndisqihable bril-
liancy and terrible sub1imity. The rivers 0
hrc IRON The fountain flowed nbon. thirty-f1v,
miles, and stopped within ten niles Of lilo
Had The fountain played ten dag longer, !
would probably hare reached the shore.