Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1868-05-14
Sandwich Islands-Terrible Vol
canic Eruption = Great De-
structi0n of Life.
SAN FRANcIsco, May 8.

SAN FRANcIsco, May 8.
The bark Comet, from the Sandwich
Islands, brings accounts of terrible
volcanic eruption. Mauna- Loa began
demonstrations March 27. On the 28th
over one hundred earthquake shocks
were felt. During the two weeks fol-
lowing to April 18th, two thousand
earthquake shocks occurred at Was
china. The earth opened in many
places.
A tidal wave sixty feet high rolled
over the tops of the cocoa trees a
quarter of a mile inland, sweeping
human beings, houses and everything
movable. before it. A terrible shock
prostrated churches and houses, killing
many. In all, one hundred lives were
lost, besides one thousand horses and
cattle.
The craters vomited fire, rocks and
lava. A river of red hot lava, FIVE or
six miles long, flowed to the sea, at the
rate of ten miles an hour, destroying
everything before it, and forming an
island in the sea.
A new crater, two miles wide, has
opened, and throws rocks and streams
of fire thousand feet high. Streams
of lava rolled into the sea. 1t one
time the illumination extended fifty
miles at night. The lava has pushed
out from the shore one mile at Ways-
china. Three miles from shore con-
ical island rose suddenly, emitting a
column of steam and smoke while the
Kono packet was passing, scattering
mud on the vessel.
The greatest shock occurred April
ed. Prior to the eruption, there was a
great shower of ashes and pumice.
During the great shock, the swaying
motion of the earth was dreadful. No
person could stand. In the midst of
this tremendous shock, an eruption of
red earth poured down the mountain,
rushing across the plain three miles,
in three minutes, and then ceased
Then came the great tidal wave, and
then the streams of lava. The villages
on the shore were all destroyed by this
wave. The earth opened under the
sea and Redeemed the water. The earth
eruption swallowed up thirty persons
and the sea many more.
Great suffering and terror prevailed
in the whole region affected.
SAN Francisco, May 7.
The Honolulu correspondent of the
Bulletin gives details of the volcanic
disturbances, showing that the earth
quake shocks extended to all the islands
of the Hawaiian group, but no damage
is known, except around Mauna Loa -
Numerous extensive land slides accom-
panied the other phenomena, destroy
ing life and property. The summit
and side of a hill, 1,500 high, was
thrown thousand feet over the tops
of the trees and landed in the valley
below. The gases that issued after
ward destroyed vegetable and animal
life. Bottomless assures opened in the
mountain sides. One lava stream flows
under ground breaking out in four jets,
six miles from the sea, and throwing
lava and stones ten or fifteen hundred
feet high. The new island thrown up
is four hundred feet high, and is now
joined to the main land by stream of
lava mile wide.
A large stream of water has burst
from the mountains where the earth
eruptions occurred. From the base of
the volcano, a space about three hum
sfed ed Re Rt dase 6aR n%Gfond ddi5Ha doars
worth of property has been destroyed.
The King of the Sandwich Islands
has issued proclamation for the relief
of the sufferers. Many visitors had
gone from Honolulu, and will go from
San Francisco. The worst is thought
to be over, but the lava flow continues
a grand spectacle.