New-York tribune., 1868-05-26
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
MAUNA LOA.
THE GREAT ERUPTION IN THE SANDWICH
ISLANDS.


QUAKES-THE MOST EXTENSIVE VOLCANIC
ERUPTIONS EVER KN0WN-RIvERs or FfRH
NEW CRATERS.
From an attentive San Francisco correspondent
we have received the following interesting accounts
of the earthquakes and volcanic eruptiOns IN the
Sandwich Islands of which we have heretofore gwen
some particulars by telegraph:
BY the brig Comet which arrived at this port yester
day, we have files Of The Honolulu AdreTiSer ana an
extra" from that Office dated april Is, giving fui ac
counts of great eruption OF Mauna Ioa on the Island
Of Hawaii and the extraordinary phenomena aecompa'
nyng the volcanic disturbance.
THE EARTHQUAKES.
The eruption was preluded by numerous sharp and
shocks OF earthquake which felt on all tho
islands with less distinctness, but were more
destructive on the Island of Hawaii. On the 2sth OK
March the shocks began and continued with more or less
severity until the final catastrophe which occurred on
the 2d April The earth opened in various directions;
the sea rose in extraordinary waves and the islands
rocked like shrubs In breeze on the afternoon o. tho
I'd the earthquakes above alluded to took place. destroy
ing number Of native villages, and resulting In tho
death Of over persons according TO estimates by cor
respondents of The Advertiser The shocks Increased IN in-
tonsy and during the afternoon and night we're almost
ncessant the severest being about o'clock m when
the greatest damage was done by the earthquake ana
nearly whole village This wave is reported to have
ten twelve feet above the usual high water mark
and the ecedng OF the sea was ABOUT Ieet
low water mark The sea rose and fe eight unes dlhS
the afternoon and evening.
The whole island Of Hawaii enveloped in smoke,
the gloom OF which was lighted up by the stream Oh
The greatest CONSERVATION prevailed especaly In INC
Kaui district nearest the mountain where the loss OF
some Killed by the earthGnakes At Kioakaa the hllf
decapitated, the summit being taken of and thrown
1000 feet over the adjoining groves landing IN the valley
below without breaking the mass OF earth Al kealwa
1000 animals, sheep, horses goats & were desr0yedby
the poisonous gasses which eXhaed from the EARTH and
land slide took place buryng 80 natives On kahukn.
back Of the church. hole 60 feet In diameter and OF un
lyyotu 1gnfl and m
the island Up the sth of April 800 shocks had oc
CURED during the past 10 days: :,, ,,o,o,vo
II NJ Whitney editor OF The Advertiser IN letter from
he SAW. from Which we make tie following extracts
On ascending the ridge just west OF and opposite the
us by a valley about Of mile wide, the whole scene
opened before US in one grand panorama The valley ~
self foOred over with pavement of fresh pdhoehos
lava 10 to 20 feet deep, which appears to have been
the first thrown out and came from crater about 10
miles up the mountain which burst out on iuesuas
morning, April T. This crater and stream had ceased
flowing and the lava was RAPIDLY cSohng 50 tnaI h.1" we
boots and beng choked by the sulphurous gases
raj miles lower down and about two miles directly back
OF Capt Browns residence burst out with heaVy roar
and rghtful crash The lava stream commenced How
ing down the beautiful plateau, toward and around the
farm house and the inmates had barely time TO escape
with what clothes they had on before the houses were All
surrounded and ncOsed with streams OF fiery dd lava.
varying from five to fifty feet in depth Fortunately all
the escape and how rapid the stream flowed.
may be inferred from the fact that the path by which
The new crater when visited by Mr. Swain was as
least and half miles in extent, nearly circular, bud
constantly enargDg its area, by engulhng the Sides
While the above gentleman was looking at IT, tract of
at least iye acres extent tumbed in and swal-
lowed up Ike food for the deYOuTlng element Inc
towards the farm,honses and il is thought that it's
diameter is already about two miles, Four huge jets or
great crater, varying in size and hight, sometimes
apparently all joining together and making on one con-
side OF the crater stream Of liquid, rolling boiling lava
poured out and down the plateau then down the side
the pail following the track Of the government road,
then along the foot of the pail or precpce hyo miles To
This the scene that opened before ascended
as a on nay%g & M ec Se i ury throwing
lava aud huge stones some as large as house 10 hgho
varying constantly from 500 TO 1000 feet Inc grandeur
Of this imagination pctuTe-no one who has
not seen II can realize.
Then there the rapid rolling stream, rushing and
tumbllng like swollen river, down the hill, over tho
precpce and down the valley to the sea, surgng aud
roaring like cataract with fury perfectly lndescripa-
BILE THIS rrer Of fire varied from 800 70 1900 or 1850 feet
width and when 1t is known that the descent was 2ooo
miles the statement that II ran az the rate OF
ten miles an hO,F will not be doubted.
We waited TIL night when the scene was hundred
douby bright and the lurid glare of the red smokes
ing stream the noise of the tumblng rocks thrown ont OF
the crater, and flashes OF electric
made it surprisingly grand and showed that man is
nothing as compared with his Creator.
This everyaryng. eyerehanglng pyroteehnic display
We watched for hours-sOme OF us all night TOOK q
sketch ON the spot which l send you, and only wish 10
could be inserted in the paper as sent 1t can give only
Finding il impossible get to Waohnu, either by
going up the mountain or by sea- We returned TO tins
nlace on and hope by steamer
From the Kau side the scene is even more beautiful than
what had there visitors can get up very near me
crater and also directly the lava stream Another
advantage OF the kau side is that the visitor Is not ex
posed to the strong splphurous gases and smoke.
NCGDENTS OF THE ERUPTION.
The writer from whom We have above quoted gives the
The number Of shocks which occurred at waiohinu
from March % TO April 10 IS estimated by MT soway 20
between 800 and The heaviest shock occurred on
Thursday, April being the same tha wac ieI 70 sens
bly, AT Honolulu This destroyed every church ana nearly
every dwelling in the whole district. .
From 10 to ~ o'clock OF that day there had been service
In the large church In Waiohinu and IL crowded with
on hnIv fonr hours after they left the heavy shock
came the walls umbled in ana TIE ROOF Iel nat-ai tho
Ar t6e same Instant every man, woman and child
thrown from feet Horses and cattle dropped down
tumble under him suddenly that he found himself and
horse lying fiat the ground before the thought OF an
earhouake entered his mind
The earth opened all through the district, and in some
places caused dangerous hssure while IN others cosed
up again. In one place II closed ~ leet Ioh MheIS ~
opened These assures make 1t dangerous TO taVei IN
the dark. Everywhere the roads are broken up ana m
will take much money and labor to restore them 10 tne
old condition.
island about THREE miles from the shore cohica ahu,
40 feet high. out Of the sea, midway between the
vessel and the land emitting column % OF ht sga ann
smoke. The lava river flows INTO the sea az hs sahu
ana has extended the shore out t0 II one nile at least So
that is now on the mainland. The packet was so near
when this island burst up that the mud wasspattered on
the masts and sails OF tne vessel
THE scene at the eruption most melancholy ono
TO witness There hundreds OF hne cattle grazing
around the famhouses, when the lava streams sur
rounded them aud hemmed them IN. The poor aDimalS
seemed Of the danger but saw mo way TO escape
The fiery lava drew nearer ana nearer III the neal mads
them restless, but they would not run They braye-
looked the bloody Zoe in the face, stood firm I'LL reached
them then te IN the streama sudden cloud ot smoke
followed. and not a sign remained. Thus one after
another fell TIL over 300 were consumed.
An incident which ought not TO be omiteds the shower
OF ashes which preceded the eruption. During Monday
night prior to the erupuon the ground throughout tho
district was covered with coating OF hne sand and nShs