The Hawaiian gazette., 1868-05-06
THE ERUPTION

1hE EhUfI1UN
Upto "Wednesday, 29th ult., there has been
DO further accounts of volcanic action on Ha-
wall The earthquakes have ceased in vio-
lence aud frequency, although the whole
island Is still moved by slight vibrations.
There was a smart shock felt j. Kohaia on
Thursday, also the same day, slight vibra-
ton here ia Honolulu.
There are reports that the lava has again
broken out in kspapala, but we do not
credit it.
We are hzppy to give our readers clear
and intelligent account Of the late volcanic
action on Hawaii. from the pen Of the Hon.
VIM. Hillebrand, NJ D, who has just return
ed from close examination Of the disturbed
districts.
The account Of the lava fssnre At Kabuku,
Is entirely new TO the public. H. L Ms
Commissioner and Consul, NJ Beranger. who
made the tour with Dr. Hilebrand, has made
4 number Of sketches Of the most interesting
volcanic Appearances.
To TIE Efit0r q ne EecqiiGg Gqzst.s
SIK. Having Just returned from journey
across the scene Of the late volcanic cOnyul-
sious 90 Southern Hawaii. l hasten to give
you = statement Of what l observed there
Let me state here at oaee that l started from
HilO. vith few friends, for kilsnsa April
I7tA; descended The crater on the 18th; ex-
3miued the extensive 6ssures near the Puma
r0ad on the 2osh the 50 called mus flow on
the 2Ist, and the lava stream in kskukG on
the I'D On the 24th We crossed the lava
stream on the road TO kona. and reached
kealaksk1a Bay on April 20
OF HlO | have little to say, a. your cor
respondents have communicated to YOU the
most remarkable events from that place. 1
saw several f>sares 10 the earth near Wahi
ava River, Of from eight inches TO Que foot
in width, which were caused by the earth
quake Of April End. and run in the direction
OF MaUua LoI- The earthquake waves al
moved from southwest TO northeast. and
movable objects standing at
right angles with that line. A heavy book
case in the Rev. T. Coan's library, holding
that relation to the wave, was overturned,
while another heavy case, filed with shells
and minerals, which stood parallel TO it, re
manned standing.
kILAUEA
The ground around the crater, particularly
on the eastern and western sides. Is rent by
i great lumber Of assures. one near the Puma
road more than twelve teet wide and very
deep: others ofIesser size run parallel to and
cruss the kau road, 50 Is TO render travel
90 il very dangerous. The lookout house
l. detached from the main land BY 4 very
deep crsussse, and stands now on an Isolated,
oFernauZing rock which, at the next severe
eoncussiou- must tumble into the pit below
Many smaller assures are hidden by grass
md bushes. forming 50 many traps for the
The Volcano House. however. has
nos suffered, nor * the ground surrounding
il broken IN the least From the walls OF
kiiauea large masses Of rock have been de-
taehed and thrown down. On the west and
northwest side, where the IRE had been
most active before the great earthquake of
April End. the falling masses probably hive
been AZ once melted BY the lava and carried
CT IN lis stream, for tie walls there, remain
a. perpendicular a. they were before. but
that this part OF the val has lost PORTIONS Of
It's mass. i shown too evidently by the deep
errvicss al0ng the western edge Just spoken
Of and the partial detachment in many pisces
Of large prisms OF rock But it Is on the
east and northeast wall particularly tat the
character Of the crater has undergone a
change Along the descent on the second
ledge large masses Of rock many, more than
100 tons in weight. obstruet the path and
form abutmg1Is 70 the stoce pillars-small
buttrsss hills similar 10 those observed in
front Of the high basaltie wall in E0olau.
Odku- 50 also IN the deep crater itself the
eastern wall has lost u1ch Of lis perpendie-
1lar dip. and has become shelving in part
The cr5ter Itself was entirely devoid Of
IicGid LAVA, 10 incandeScsuce anywhere
pifehy darkness lowered over the abyss the
first night I say the first night, because
during the second night OF our stay, between
Il and I A. N decorations were heard ag1il
and light reappearsd for short tine IN the
South Lake White vapors Of steam issued
from the floor in a hundred places, bat Of
those sitting. suipburOGs and acid gases
formerly 50 overpowerirg, in the ueighbor-
hood OF the lzkes and ovens. oulF the fIintest
trace WIS perceived here and there. The heat
Was nowhere so great that We could not keep
0Cr footing for a minute or more, although
il many places il would forbid the touch Of
the bare hand The great South Lake Is
transformed INTO vast pit. more than $50
feet deep. the solid eastern wall projecting
far ever the hollow below while the reusair-
ing sides are falling OF with a sharp inclina-
ton, and consist Of a confused T1ass Of sharp
IL More than tvo-thirts Of the old floor Of
zilaEea has eaEsd IN and sunk from 100 70
30 feet below the level OF tie remaining
floor The depression erlbraers the Whole
western half and infrI1ggs IN a semicircuiaF
sue on a considerable portion Of the other
half Il i greatest in the northern and
-araer gradual and gentle m It's southern por-
-iou. Entering upon tht. depressed floor
from the southern lake Il WIS some time be-
are We became fully aware OF It's existence
L. wzs Guly on our rstHru from the north
west corner. where IL i deepest, that there
presented itself through the mist in which
sc were euysi0ped, a high zaIi OF 800 feet OF
Erueesqze and fantastic outlines At first We
we're quite b--Eilsizre1- EEneEin,E that We be-
Held the great outer val Of the crater On
1eargr approach We soon satisfied ourselves
-hst tins singular val represented the line Of
ieuarkzriu1 Of a great dspressiou In the
Ioor Of the erater-a f1cs that surprised AZ
he more a. 4 biruzeye vieW from above bad
Altogether faiied to apprise Us CT Is existence
A Ee lad been Informed that the priaei-
,aI activity Of the crater before the great
.arthdaake had been IN the northwest err Z
Ter. We proceeded IN that direction On leaE-
NJ the ss1th aka Having arrived az ABOUT
ne middle Of the depression, a eonsiderahie I
ise in the groGzd presented ifzeif on our
eff-so the west Having assembled this, We 4
aund ourselves at the brink Of a fearfaI 4
.hasIu- which fell 81 on 0Gr side with beet /
fnE val To the depth Of several hundred 4
eer, and extended about half nlile from