The Hawaiian gazette., 1868-05-06

A&c% lut Et4tocAoc. Elttl y HfNulAutnt
near Capt. Browns house the scene can be
best surveyed. On the Islands between the
several streams, many cattle aud horses found
refuge, most Of which were saved after the
cessation Of the dow. On the hill stands
house which contained three poor sick Lncn.
When they became aware OF the approach OF
the lava they attempted TO escape, but not
having strength enough left they returned TO
their house expecting death. The lava how
ever only surrounded them, and as there were
SOME provision and water in the house, they
KEPT themselves alive until il cooled and
suecor was afforded them. The eruption must
have ceased either on Saturday or Sunday
night, the llth or 18th Of April The accounts
do not agree. About the exact time of Inc
outbreak also there is some ohScuriy. The
great fssure having been formed, In all pro
liability, on April snd, the hnal breaking
through of the lava seems TO have began
almost without noise. Capt. Brown only
became aware of II by the sight Of fire APP
preaching toward his house, after darkness
had set In, and then he hardly had time TO
save himself and family. the lava rushing
down the last gulch ten minutes after he and
his family had crossed il. From Mr.. Whit
ney, who approached the stream from the
kona side, learn that goatherd assured
him that he had been prevented from re-
turning to Waiohinu as early as the morning
Of April nh, by the lava flow.
As the priaeipal interest was the discovery
of the main source OF the stream, We At once
went to that part Of IL, where, according TO
common report, the lava had issued. A very
light dark brown glistening pumice stone
lay scattered about long before the lava was
seen. Near the flow II increased 50 much
that the animals feet sank deep into il at
every step. We soon reached the ridge OF
hill ffom which VIC surveyed the place where,
according 10 our guides account, the toun-
tain of lava had been seen. This upper por-
tion Of the lava stresm fills a broad valley or
depression, between two parallel low hills OF
not more than SO feet high, both running
almost due North and South. From the
western one of these hills Mr.. Whitney
had Witnessed the eruption. From the east
ern hill We in vain looked for crater or
cone. We did not make out any indication
of the character OF the eruption until we had
crossed nearly three-fourths Of the stream,
which here is not far from mile wide. Then
our attention was attracted by an accumula-
tion of seoria. Nearing this We were struck
by current of hot air, and, a little further
on, found ourselves on the brink Of deep
gap in the lava about 20 feet wide, but mar
rowing and continuing itself Northward.
We walked round the Southern end of the
gap and followed il up on the Yves. OF lee
side. Before long We came to another en-
laryemeut of the fissure like the former,
which drove us back Still continuing our
march on the west side of the issure as close
as the hot gases would allow, we came in
sight of a pretty miniature cone. built up
most regularly of loose seoria to the height
of II feet, and located right over the fissnre.
Ii encloses a chimney crater of about IL feet
diameter, with perpendicular sides, the depth
OF which could not be aseertained. Hot
gases issued in abundance. On account Of
the exhalation Of the latter We were Obliged
TO cross the ehasm, on the bridge formed ey
the cone, 10 the windward side, along which
We followed up steadily.
This crack or fissure tends South six de-
gress West to North six degrees East, and is
in the slope of the hill that forms the West
boundary of the lava stream. Its lava cover
therefore Is quite thin in many places, so
that YOU can see how il sinks in the original
rock of the bill Its depth cannot be aseer-
tanned anywh here. More than fOur-tifths of
the lava is on its Eastern side, as it followed
the decliyity OF the hill-slOpe to fill the
trough of the valley, where il assumed a gen
erai downward course. 1t is from the entire
length OF this assure that that the lava has
welled up simultaneously. The waves of
lava for some distance from II are all parallel
to its course, while in the middle of tie
stream they stand At a right angle to it. The
edges are somewhat raiSed above the remain
der of the stream, and scOria covers il in
most parts, forming quite heavy layers where
the stream has blOwholes. Isolated flakes of
brittle lava, resembling COW dung, probably
blown out at the end of the eruption with
ttful spouting of steam and gas, are seen all
along its course Nearing the upper end of
the valley, where | expected to find the end
OF the assure, l was surprised at the sudden
appearance of u yeritable cataract of lava
coming down the PERCEPTIONS side of the
eastern hill, a height Of at least 500 feet
IL IA n
found myself again alongside the big cTeyasse
which in passing across the valley had de-
hected from its former course to a nearly
y E direction, heading direct for the sum
nit of Nauna Loa-
From here onward, the incline increasing
considerably, the lava commenced to De
very rugged and broken As here it had
passed over and destroyed dense forest,
a number Of grotesque shapes met the eye.
Wherever the. lava had met tree of some
size, il had surrounded-it with a perfect
mould which either still held the shoulder
ing remains of the trunk or exhibited hOl-
low cylinders bearing on the inside the
markings of the bark Of the tree The leaf
stalk even of fern trees were almost perfect
A few of the mOulds contained still, entire
trunks with the unconsumed branches. In
the bifuricatiOns of these heavy masses of
lava had accumulated hanging down in
many points like 30 many stalactites- Where
ever there was q fern stump standing upright
il bore cap of lava-aii indications prove
that the liquid mass had torn upwards,
with the violent pressure Of steam and gas
As l said before, this part of the flow was
lined by dense forest From this point il
had closed in, and from an eminenee along
side the fssure / could see that the lava
stream contracted at some distance beyond |
TO the APEX Of an isoeOleS triangle This |
part Of the crevasse which ran straight up TO /
the apex was continuous, wider than below, /
and emitted in great profusion sulphurous /
AMI other acid gases. Its border which was l
Of the color Of red brick, commenced to be /
covered with the efioreseeHee Of salts and |
sulphur, aud in places they assumed al ]
together the appearance Of sulphur banks. I
The heat Of the lava Increased so as TO be 4
in some places Ashes and scoria I
every hollow in the floor and the 4
ed &c Of the woods for some distance
Having arrived al the apex Of the triangle, I
| found that the crsvasse, over which the I
trees almost closed from both sides, stiIl ex- 4
tended a few hundred yards higher up in the /
woods, indicated BY 4 continuous line Of /
white and yellow smoke The choking nature 1
Of the latter forbade nay marching along the 4
edge Of the hssure, while the imPeHetrzble 4
lhiekef, with the ground thiekly covered BY /
ashes, proved az effectaai bar to ny further /
prOgress- In fact, while hurrying out OF an 1
OverPoveriug cloud Of the smoke, got one 4
leg caught in a lateral fissure hidden under 4
the ashes, where it received such lively i'm
preston Of heat that I made quick time to
retire from that neighborhOod- Just then / 4
heard deep hollow, rumbling, prolonged 4
sound, while the air and earth remained per
fectly =tilL Subsequently, ! learned that IL 1
had been caused BY the rolling down Of large 4
masses Of pumice stone from the hill to the Il
l.. a. =. l.
ful Of another catastrophe. / hurried back az
last a. circumstances would permit, and felt