The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1868-08-05

day; but at night it is very difficult TO in
! duce the guides to ascend the higher cone,
and though the chief phenomena may be
thoroughly seen by the side Of the lava
streams as they descend the side, the sight
Of these rather stimulates the curiosity
than satisfies il, and he is a fortunate ex-
plorer who can manage TO place himself at
the very summit, either during the night
itself. or when the evening is sufficiently
advanced to allow the glare Of the volcano
to be seen in all its glory. The two OBJ
| jects may be attained in two separate as
| cents, but for convenience Of description,
we may imagine them as a combine one.
We are travelling. then, through the vine
yards early on bright January evening
the moon is clear, but tremendous wind
from the east has set in. and in front. as
we mount, the volumes of smoke are roll
ing away towards the sea. The appear
ance which the mountain presents is this ::
Two gigantic arms Of fire seem to rise out
of the lava bed in frOnt Of Us, a mile or
two higher up, meet in the air and disap-
pear under canopy Of red tossing smoke.
They are the two principal streams Of lava
which are making their way down the face
Of the central cone, right toward Us. as We
ascend; but they meet when they reach
the halfway plateau which We mentioned
before. and separate again into two branch
es. the size aad length of which varies from
day to day. Seen from below, these two
great fiery arms light up the night. On
one side. the full moon is silvering the bay
Of Naples. and on the other, the wind is
hurrying the clouds over two glowing cur
rents. which light up and redden them
with lurid ferceness as they pass. We
move on. climbing over stones. and soon
bear of to the left across fields of cold
lava. Here it lies black and dead. the
fruits Of old erupiions; mile after mile one
may follow it through plains and almost
seas of ugly blackness, rolled into rounded
rasses, tossed up in crumbling peaks, here
and there twisted and cnrled into curious
other rope-like coils. A little further on,
and higher up. and the surface is gently
warm. Jets of hot air issue from holes in
the mass, with sometimes putis Of steam:
the old lava is not qnite dead, after all.
We penetrate further, and now have near
ly reached the plateau, when the current
forks the second time We now turn TO the
right, aud scramble over some more hot
lava beds, and at last we climb some stones
which partly hid the view, and find we are
standing in front Of a river three miles
long, of liquid fire.
The hest is tremendous. To stand near
a stream Of lava, and to look at it. are very
different things. One cannot even APP
proach it without being fairly scorched.
The stream itself is bordered BY ridges of
stones. parallel TO one another, like the
moraines of a glacier; happy he who pass
es them without stumbling. Aso mounts
the side, the stones fall away from their
places red hot the stick which one pushes
into the creyices comes out charred. or
even bursts into fame; one falls forward
and rises with ones gloves scorched. Close
by the river of lava itself, it is impossible
10 remain except where it is nearly dying
out at the lower extremity. a hasty glance
into the torrent is all that, without the
courage of a Cranmer, one can fairly allow
oneself. Patience, however, will now and
then discover some post of vantage, from
which at little distance, the fiery flood
can be surveyed in safety, and even with
comfort 1t is a small stream.
seldom more, and generally less. than two
or three yards in breadth At the spot
where We are standing, where about two
thirds of Its downward course are compile
ted. it Is moving at the rate of about
mile an hour. Lower down this will
gradually become slower, the scoria on its
s. nace will spread and grow more black.
and at last it will cease to flow as Wis
cous stream, and viii roll over itself SO to
speak, in a series of miniature cascades.
which finally cool down into what one
might almost fancy staircase of lava.
| rom the whole of this, while we are look
ing, vast clouds of vapor are continually
rolling off, vivid beyond description. and
rom time to time the thunder Of the vol
sano is heard from above, as 1t hurls Up
stones and ashes from the apex. Sights
md sounds alike are full, not indeed of
terror, for there is no danger in the case.
oGt Of real grandeur and majesty And
when the eye is tired with the view, on
such night as We are describing. it may
urn away TO the quiet bay, the quiet VII
ages in their midnight sleep, and thirty
the Apprentices, with their snowy
ops whiterand clear under the moon. Yet
he best sight of ali is further on. We 4
cave the lava stream. bear away to the
eft through the valley which separates the
NO peaks, thus avoiding the fine ashes
which blow annoyingiy into the eyes at
very step. and securing an easier ascent, I
md after two hours climb are at the very /
op. The eruption has filed the crater. I
md We may walk safely over the place |
where two months ago the great gulf yawn-
d. And now We see the virgin lava issu-
ng forth, stlll brighter and hotter than be- 1
ow, and flowing doubly fast in its channel. 1
We are close 10 the very centre Of the vol
ano itself. A small round hill of ashes
NO OF, three hundred yards in diameter,
rowns the mountain; from this there rise
normous volumes of steam, now regular
Y. now in mighty discharges which shake
he ground where we stand, and close be-
ide 1t spreads another volume as black as
moke. This last is the same steam mix
d with ashes. and IN its dark background. /
very few moments, there dart up, with a
oise ike that of artillery, bright red foun-
aims Of stones and ashes, tossed up three
undred feet into the air, and falling back
lto the bosom Of the mountain or on the
ides of the conical hill from which they
ise- Nothing can surpass the grandeur
{ this majestic column From the fierce
low Of the lava as it rushes down before
;. and the white gushes Of steam, the Jury
which shakes the mountain and thun-
ers away to Naples. the eye turns with
ven greater awe to the towering black
olume beside them, in which tie fiery
ain Of the cinders seems embedded At
ines a sulphurous cloud, almost iDtoIlera-
lie for the moment, beats down upon Us
nth gust Of wind, and then again, an