New-York tribune., 1868-06-12

say that It is hardly possible to conceive Of stream
river we witnessed on April 10 1t reminded of the
Connecticut River in Spring hoodw with the stream ned
with Ice and rushing the rapids at an impetuous
rate The speed is likely to have been twenty five
miles an hour than twelve. Where IL ran down the
more narrow aud rapid than lower down. where It spread
out broader. This tho only stream which reached
the sea- and flowed into t little west OF the south point
OF the island at a place called Kailik lt lasted only
five days the eruption ceasing entirety on INC mght OF
the llh or morning Of the 18th. -
During its continuance, the atmosphere was filled with
smoke dense that the sun appeared like ball OF nre
and the whole island was shrouded in darkness rms
smoke came from the rent or crater, ana was hghiy
charged with sulphur As It spread over the sa9d az an
carried deadly blast to vegeaton and the Leaves OF tne
more tender plants and vegetables were withered ana
died 1t did not kill the plants in any sections tDat We
could learn. ,.,
Opposite the point Of coast where the lava reached the
small cOnca island was thrown up IN the sea- ABOUT
mile distant from the shore, consisting 0nud ana sdnu
and emitting steam from its summit This island mas be-
joined TO the main land by the lava flowing rom
and smoke and flames OF blush hre were
emitted rising from the water hight OF from 10 to 20
feet Two kinds OF lava erupted during the How
1t commenced with a stream OF smooth, glossy lava,
known here the pdh0eOe, which was followed bY the
thick dirty kind called Kahuku farm was nearly
covered with the latter which branched out INTO four
wide streams covering space OF four miles wide and
long This was followed again by the liquid pahOehOe,
which INTO the sea, and continued tl the eruption
ceased About 1000 acres OF good pasture land were
destroyed, beside which the lava ran over an immense
district OF worthless land. -,
Tho roaring of the crater was novel feature 10 tnOse
who had never witnessed an eruption before. it was
caused by the rocks thrown out from the crater ana he
This Gd flow appears composed of halfmelted lava, and
II pushed along, piled up sometimes so or even 100
feet hgh presenting the appearance OF railroad en-
bankment the sides having angle OF about 40 degrees
down which tho lava stones Keep rolling ms stream
generally along slowly but when the quantity or
liquid lava, which floats and carries along the da Is
abundant 1t moves from one to four miles an hour
What makes the difference between the dry dd lava and
the LIQUID yahoeoe which flows like water interest
ing subject OF inquiry that has never been settled They
other In turns Our own opinion Is thst tne sm0oIh I
liquid variety obtains its charqQter by long fusion while
the "a variety (which appears like half melted stones and
the earth torn of and thrown out during the eruption
An examination of the various da streams tenu " con-
The lava thrown ont during this eruption has been of
porous nature than IN most OF the late ones some
OF the specimens we nave seen are eXceedhgy llght
The shower Of brOwnish pnmice stone which preceded
the lava How was also something UNUSUAL IN Hawaiian
eruptiOns, and showed the eruption 10 possess new
character perhaps the existence Of more than usual
steam and In It's composition Some have wondered
why the flow ceased so neutrality-suspicious. only hYe
days The is probably this: So soon as the steam
which has been the active agent IN producing the earth
quake Shocks ana IN raising the IaNa 50 near 10 he Qp OF
tho summit crater that II ghened up the clouds above
It, found vents, the eruption lost much OF Its power and
allowed the lava rapidly to subsde and the pressure by
which II was thrown out gave way.
The quantity of lava erupted has not been probably
onetenh what discharged in 1859, but the quantity
OF steam, gas, and smoke discharged during one week
have exceeded what escaped during ten weeks IN
1882 when the volume OF smoke was comparatively snal
We judge from its density over all the group ana Tor
Thousand miles of This has not occurred In any late
previous eruption to the same extent Inc inference
therefore. be drawn that when an unusual quantity
discharged aud. vice versa when the quantity OF smoke
Is small the amount OF lava Is Increased.
The Rev. 5 g. Bishop. Principal Of the Lahainalina
Seminary, says, from observation taken by him at
ahainana that the column Of smoke which rose from
Mauna LOa Wednesday morning following the erup
On reached altitude OF seven and iOurth miles be-
fore flaming out
The number OF shocks which occurred at Waohnu from
March April 10 estimated by Mr. SOway TO have
been upward OF 200g there having been some days be,
tween 800 and 400. The heaviest shock occurred on
Thursday April being the that felt 50 sens
bly at Honolulu This destroyed every church and nearly
every dwelling IN the whole district.