Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-05-15
From the Sandwich Islands.

From the Sandwich Islands.
Terrible Volcanic Eruptions----One
hundred liues Lost----FeartM destruction
ofproperty.
SAN FRANCISCO, May 7. The bar
que Comet, from Sandwich Islands
brings accounts of a terrible volcanic
eruption by the Mauna Loa, which be-
gan its demonstrations on March 70.
One hundred earthquake shocks were
felt, and during the two weeks follow
ing, to April Ii, two thousand earth
quake shocks occurred at Waischina.
The earth opened in many places, and
the tidal wave, 60 feet high, rose over
the tops of the cocoa trees for quar-
ter of mile inland, sweeping human
beings, houses and everything nova
bic before it. The terrible shock
Frustrated churches and houses, and
killed many persons. In all, one hum
dred lives were lost, besides thou
sand horses and cattle. The craters
vomited fire, rocks and lava, and
river of red hot lava FIVE or six miles
long flowed to the sea at the rate of
ten miles per hour, destroying every
thing before it and forming an Island
in the sea. A new crater, two miles
wide, has opened throwing rocks and
streams of fire 1000 feet high, and
streams of lava rolled to the sea. At
one time the illumination extended
on mlIes at night. Inc lava mas push
ed from the shore one mile. At Wais-
china, three miles from the shore, the
Conyal Island rose suddenly, emitting
a column of steam and smoke, while
the Keno packet was passing, spat-
tering mud on the vessel.
The greatest shock occurred April
2. Prior to the eruption there was
great shower Of ashes and pumice.
During the great shock the swinging
motion of the earth was dreadful, so
that no person could stand. In the
midst of this tremendous shock and
eruption OF red earth poured down
the mountain and rushed across the
plain at the rate of three miles in three
minutes, and then ceased. Then came
great tidal wave, and then streams
of lava. The villages on the shore
were all destroyed by this wave, and
the earth opened under the sea and
Redeemed the water. The earth erup-
ton swallowed thirty persons, and
the sea many more. Great suffering
and terror prevailed in the district
and the whole region was affected.
The sloop olive Yankee" has been
dispatched with provisions, &C., to
rescue and relieve.
The Honolulu correspondence of
the Bulletin gives the details Of the
volcanic disturbances, showing that
earthquake shocks extended to all
the islands of the Hawaiian group,
but no damage is known to have DC
CURED. Around Mauna Loa numer-
Gus extensive land slides accompan-
led the other phenomena, destroying
life and property. The summit and
side of the hill, 1900 hundred feet in
height, were thrown a thousand feet
over the tops oftrees and landed in the
valley below. The gases that issued
alterward destroyed both vegetable
and animal life. Bottomless assures
Lava streams flowed under ground
breaking out in four jets six miles
from the sea and throwing lava and
> stones 1000 to 1900 feet high. The
new island thrown up is 400 feet high
! and is now joined to the main land by
stream of lava a mile wide.
A large stream of water has burst
. from the mountain where the eartt
eruption occurred. The base of the
o volcano is about thirty miles in cir
conference and is desolated. At Least
. halt million dollars worth of prop
erty is destroyed. The King of the
Sandwich Islands has issued a procla
nation for the relief of the sufferers
> Many visitors had gone from Honolu
lu and many will go from San Fran
= cisco. The worst is thought to b.
;. over, but the lava flow continues. |
Il is grand spectacle.