Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1868-06-05
The Eruption Of Nauua Loa.
The Trarellcr publishes a private letter
from-a Missionary, dated Honolulu April l3,
from which we extract the following

The TrarIler publishes private letter
from-a Missionary, dated Honolulu April Is,
from which we extract the following
Next to the district of Kaiu, South Kona has
had the severest shaking, being nearest, and di-
rectly on the opposite side Of Mauna Loa, and
directly under, as it were, the great central
crater. March q, early in tie morning we
discovered an immense column Of smoke anu
ras. which in a few minutes had attained the
height Of seven miles, forming huge pillars,
grand beyond description. In less than half an
hour. these columns Of smoke had shot up along
the slope Of the great mountain southwark, to
the distance Of ten or fifteen miles
We thought it was from stream Of lava, ana
that it vas hoBipg in southwesterly direction
As | was on my way 10 attend meeting at
Kealia. twelve miles south of US, | watched the
progress of the smoke with not little interest,
thinking that before evening the stream might
reach the sea and cut off the retreat But the
clouds soon shut in the whole mountain, and
nothing more was seen during the day. The
night came, and We looked in vain for the pll-
lar Of fire over the great crater, and for the
liCht from the flowing stream. During the
wlole uiaLt no light nor smoke were to he seen
Al was clear, and still as death.
On Saturday morning, the 2oth, we had a
slight shock Of earthquake, and in the course
an hour or two, another, then another and stlll
another-the intervals becoming shorter and
the shocks becoming harder, until about one
o'clock P NJ. While We sat at dinner, it seemed
as if an immense boulder was hurled up under
the foundations Of our house.
In a few moments the foundation Of the ever
lasting hills seemed to give way the earth
groaned and waved to and fro, and tremhled as
D ghn Trn~ afr y
| rling to relieve herself Avalanches Of earth
| and larne portion. of land from the g pail di-
/ tertlv in front Of the house, were thrown into
| the sea. vast quantities of stone wall, fencing
/ and many stone houses, were thrown down: he
shocks now became so frequent and hard thai
they were really alarming. Everybody seemed
To wait in breathleSs silence to see the end.
From O'Clock Saturday ?. NJ. until II the
intervals between the distinct shocks did not ag-
erage over three minutes. From eleven uhu
five O'Clock Saturday \. NJ. the shocks were les
frequent, but from that time nntil one IN the /
NJ. the vibration Of our house never ceased-th'
shocks, some light and some hard, were iron
two to three minutes, but the tremulous motloi
was continuous.
On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday TIN
shaking continued, some times less ana SOM
times more frequent, though not so hard
On Thursday, during the A. NJ, the shake
were slight, and we began to hope the earll
might be quiet but in the p. NJ, at ten min
utes before four o'clock, we experienced tn
hardest. most fearful and terrific earthquake ey
or known at these islands. The oldest native
mite their testimony that never was there sue
, terrible shaking at the Islands. The whole Is
land seemed like a great ship loosed from he
moorings, reeling to and fro, rising and falling
shaking terrifcally, as if she were gong
; pieces.
! Every one wanted something TO hold on t(
: but there was nothing firm everything W'
: r shaking, reeling, pitching. The very tre
were tossing to and fro, as if they would be SUI
rooted stone fences, houses, etc, were falllr
: all around us We waited with intense anxlel
c -praying, hoping, trusting in the Lord v
e longed to see great crater open or great II
: er of fire flowing, for then we thought the ear
would be at rest. In all this time we never u
h dressed for the night, passing the nights IN
Il tent. spread in our yard little distance fro
4 tbe house This was partly to avoid the dang
of the timbers and plastering of the house Ia
inc and crushing us and partly to AVOID
q noise from the incessant shaking and Vibrator
: On the night of the 7th Of April, as we reel
y 81 in our tent. we saw for the first time
N I;1bt from crater which had just opened on
= .6ntb-eastern portion of Mauna Loa' not
III from Waiokinu, the stream flowing INTO 'he
little south of that point