The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-04-18
KEALAKrKuA. HAWAII, Monday, April 10.

KEALAKEKUA, HAWAII, Monday, April 13.
My last was from this place. but I have since been
TO the lava flow. and witnessed the most grand, brill
liant and awe-inspiring scene probably ever afforded
to the people Of these islands My pen shrinks from
giving the details Of what is almost indescribable, and
what needs to be seen in order to be fully realized.
We left Kealakekua early on Thursday morning
april - n party of ten, not including guides, Sc,
and followed the old aa road through the Rona dis
trict. I cannot STOP here to speak Of our dinner at
Kuaimoku's, or our nights rest at Mr.. Spencer half
way house ut Kappa, nor Of the tedious journey Of 40
miles, or the way-side inc;dents-all which may form
the subject Of another lctter-but viii bring the reader
ut once to the brink Of the lava stream. which We
reached ut 2 =. VI. on Friday, the 10th.
On ascending the ridge just west of and opposite
the Mamalu Pail Of Kahuku, aud which was sepa-
rated from US by n valley about one-eighth Of n mile
wide, the whole scene opened before us in one grand
panorama The valley itself was foored over with "A
pavement Of fresh pahoshoe lava, from 10 to 20 feet
/ deep, which appears to have been the first thrown out,
and came from n crater about ten miles up the noun
tain. which burst out on Tuesday morning, April It'll.
This crater and stream had cease1 flowing. and the
lava was rapidly cooling, 50 that we yentured to stand
on il, though Mt the risk Of burning our boots, and
being choked by the sulphurous gases.
On Tuesday afternoon, ut 8 o'clock, q new crater,
several miles lower down, and about two miles di-
rectly back Of Capt. Browns residence, burst out with
n heavy roar and frightful crash. The lava stream
commenced flowing rapidly down the beautiful pla-
teau, towards and around the farmhouse, and the
inmates had barely time to escape with what clothes
they had ON, before the houses were all surrounded
and enclosed with streams of fiery aa lava, varying
from five to fly feet in depth. Fortunately all the
inmates escaped safely to waiohinu, but how narrow
- 80. a-l Inuvr antI The c-roan, Ha,-o1 r,.,.
be inferred from the fact that the path by which they
escaped was covered with lava within ten minutes
after they passed over it.
The new crater, when visited by Mr.. Swain, was
Mt least one and a half miles in extent, nearly circu-
lar, but constantly e~nlarging its area, by engulph-
ing the sides. While the above gentleman was look
ing ut it, a tract of at least five acres in extent tum-
bled in and was swallowed up ike food for the de-
vouring element. The enlargement is going on
mainly on the lower side, towards the farm houses,
AMI il is thought that its diameter is already about
two miles
Four huge jets or fountains were continually be-
ing thrown up out Of this great crater, ever varying
in size and height, sometimes apparently all joining
together and making one continuous spou:ing q mile
and a half long.
From the lower side of the crater, n stream Of
liquid, rolling, boiling lava poured out and ran
down the plateau, then down the side Of the pail
following the track Of the government road), then
along the foot of the pail or ~precipice Ave miles to the
sea
This was the scene that opened before us rs We as
cended the ridge on Friday. At the left were these
four grand fountains playing with terrific fury,
throwing blooi-red lava and huge stones, somc as
large rs a house, to a height varying constantly from
500 to 1000 feet. The grandeur of this scene no
imagination can picture-no one who has not seen it
can realize.
Then there was the rapid, rolling stream, rushing
and tumbIing like a swollen river, down the hill,
over the precipicc and down the valley to the sea,
surging and roaring like a cataract, with 3 fury per-
fectly indescribable. This Tirer Of fire varied from
500 to 1900 or 1900 feet in width, and when it is
known that the descent was 20OO feet in FIVE miles,
the statement that it ran at the rate Of ten miles an
hour will not be doubted.
We waited till night, when the scene was n hun
dred fold more grand and yivid-the crimson rel of
the lava doubly bright ; and the lurid glare Of the
rel smoke clouds that overhung the whole, the roar
ing Of the rushing stream, the noise of the %tumbling
rocks thrown out Of the crater, and flashes Of electric
Acknowledgements made it surprisingly grand.
This ever-varying, ever-changing Pyrotechnic dis
play We watched for hours-some of US all night
I took a sketch on the spot, which 1 send you and
only wish il could be inserted in the paper rs sent
II can give only u flint idea of this grand scene.'
Finding it impossible TO get over TO Waiohinu,
either by going up the mountain or by sea, We re-
turned to this place on Saturday, and hope TO go on
soon by steamer. From the Kau side the scene is
even more beautiful than what We had, as there visit
ors can get up very near the crater, and also directly
ever the lava stream. Another advantage of the
Kau side IL, that the visitor is not exposed to the
strong sulphurous gases and smoke.
Incidents of the Eruption.
From several Of the residents Of Waiohinu, / have
learned a number of interesting facts, which may be
inserted in this connection.
The number of shocks which occurred NJ Waiohinu
from March Doth to April 10th, is estimated by Mr..
SiIloway to have been upwards Of fIro thousand;
there having been some days between three and four
hundred. The heaviest shock occurred Thursday,
April 81, bsing the same that was felt so sensibly at
Honolulu. This destroyed every church and nearly
every dwelling in the whole district.
From 10 to u O'Clock of that day there had been
service in the large church in Waiohinu, and it was
crowded with people. Only four hours after they
left the heavy shock came, the walls tumbled in, and
the roof fell fat-all the work oftwenty seconds.
At the same instant, every man, woman and child
was thrown off from their feet. Horses and cattle
dropped down, as if dead. A man riding on horse
back had his horse tumble under him so suddenly
that he found himself and horse lying flat ON the
ground before the thought Of an earthquake entered
his mind.
The earth opened all through the district. and in
some places caused dangerous assures, while in others
This picture can be seen by any one q, the Pest ONCE.