Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-04-28
SUBLIME SPECTACLE.
A CoIamn Of Fire One Thousand Feet
InHeight. and n River Of PLANE
Thirty-fye Miles Long.

A jet OF lava Of more sIupendOus pro-
portions than any ever conceived OF, Is
described by Mr.. COan, in the Honolulu
Fia5d, Of February, in his account OF
the eruption Of Manua Lea, on the island
Of Hawaii.
The eruption commenced near the
summit Of the mountain, and only five
or six miles southeast Of the eruption in
1913. For two DAYS this summit crater
sent down its burning floods along the
northeastern slope Of the mountain; then
suddenly the valve closed, and the great
furnace apparently ceased blast. After
thirty-siN hours the fUsia was seen burst
ing out Of the eastern side of the noun
tain, about midway from the top to the
base.
II would seem that the summit lava
have found a sUbterranean tunnel, for
half way down the mountain, Whea
coming 70 a weak point, or meeting with
some obstruction, it burst up vertically,
sending @ column of inc8ndescent fIsia
1000 feet high into the air. This fire jet
was about 100 feet in diameter, aud il
was sustained for twenty days and nights,
varying in height from 500 to 100 feet.
The disgOrgmcnt from the mountain side
was often with terrible explosions, which
shook the hills, and with detOnations
which were heard for forty miles. This
column of Liquid fire was az object OF
surprising brilliancy, Of intense and aw-
ful grandeur As the jet issued nom the
awful orifiee il was at white heat. As il
ascended higher and higher, il REDEEMED
like fresh blood, deepening its color until,
In its descent. much Of IL assumed the
color Of clOtted gore.
"a E.rrr slar-a 81 D aI - sa.sa q aT4a eDr,al
500 feet high around the burning orifice,
and, as the showers Of burning minerals
fen in ivid torrents upon the cone, it be-
came one vast heap Of glowing Goals,
flashing and quiveTing with restless so
ton, and sending out 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 con-
tinuous falling back Of thousands Of tons
Of mineral fIsia into the throat OF the
crater, and over 8 cone Of glowing Goals
one mile In circumference, was a sight to
inspire awe and terror attended With
explosive shocks which seemed 10 rena
ths mural ribs Of the mountain, and
sounds 10 waken the dead and startle the
spirits in Hades. From this fountain, a
river Of fire went lesplng and rushing
down the mountain with amazing yelo-
/ city, hling ~ basins and rgvhes, DASH
ing over precipicea, and exploding rocks,
untn II reached the forests at the heze Oi
I the mountain, where &c burned Its fiery
way, consuming the jungle, evaporating
the water Of the STREAMS and poois, cut
ting down the trees and sending up clouds
Of smoke in murky columns Of fieecv
wreaths 10 heaven.
All Eastern Hawaii was sheen OF
light, and our night was turned into dav.
So great was the Illumination at night,
that one could read without lamp, and
labor. travelling and recreation might 60
on a. IN the day time. Mariners at sea
saw the light two hundred miles distant.
II was a pyrotechnical display more mag
niaoent aud marvellous than was made
by an early monarch. In the daytime
the atmosphere for thousands Of square
miles wouid be filed with murky haze,
through which the sunbeams she'd pale
and sickly light. smoke, steam, gases,
ashes, cinders-furnace or capillary or
Elementary or vitrificatiOn called pel0's
fabricated IN the air. sometimes sEresd-
ing out Ike nan, sometimes careering
Ia swift currents upon the wind, or gyra-
ting in ever changing colors ia ths fitfll
breezes. The point from which tae fire
fountain issued is l0,o00 feet above the
level of the sea, thus making the 3cneous
pillar distinct object Of observation
along the whole eastern coast OF Hawaii
During the eruption the writer made
an excursion 20 the source. After three
days Of hard struggle iu the Jungle and
over fields, ridges and hills Of bristling
saOria, he arrived, near sunset, 1t the
field Of action. All night long he Stood
as near the glowing pillar as the vehe-
inert heat would allow, listening to the
startling explosions aud theawfal roar OF
the molten column, as it rushed inward
1000 feet, and fell back in a fieIy ava
lsnehe which made the mountain trem-
ble. Ii was such a scene as few m0rtsls
| ever witnessed. There was no sleep fog
/ the spectator. The fierce, red glare, the
subterraneous mutterings and strug-
( glings, the rapid explosions Of gases, the
I Tushes and roar the sudden and startling
bursts, as Of crashing thunder-all, al
were aWe-inspiring, and sll combined to
render the scene one Of indescribable
nrillAncy and terrible sublimity. The
rivers Of IRE from the fountain flowed
about thirty-fiye miles, and stoppei with
ID ten miles OF Hile. Had the fountain
played ten days longer, it would probably
have Teached the shore,