The New York herald., 1868-06-10


Hoxotrtr. MAJ a. isss.
IshaI now try and fulnl my promise 10 posi- your
readers fully on matters connected ~th the late
earthquakes. volcano and tidal save. A I rs un
able 10 visit Hawai- myself shall he compelled to
make extracts frOm the reports of the most reliable
parties who have pnbnshcd statements, among
which may mention the pubssher Of the PacUac
Commercial AdryTss,-. Dr. william Iilllebrand. and
"A Fornander, late editor Of the Roivnessaa. I will
nrst quote from the Pac.ac Commercial Adrsr.
fiser.-
We Ieft Kealakeakua hay on the morning OF the ath
OF April aud amer a slow, tedious ride OF twenty.
seven niles over lava clinkers reached kapua to-
wards algh where We slept IN a thalch house built
by Mr Charles y. spencer as an accommodation
Waiohnu, and distant from the lava nov about thir
teen miles. During the night could hear the dis
tant noise oi the erupti0n-a peculiar rumbling, so
different from the roar OF the sea or any other noise
riat To wake up IN the night and listen TO its unac-
sa r leu % Tended 70 eTS.ie fear with those
eral OF the party decided 10 turn back 10 kealakea
kua, and returned without seeing the grand sight
before ~. The Others, seven IN number not count
ing native attendants, mounted horses and pro-
ceeded on 10 the now
As we approached II the rumbng noise became
more ana more distinct, and the evidences OF ap-
proach 10 some great disturbance OF nature more
frequent. The ground was covered with what an
peared 10 he cinders, but on examining them We
found they were fragments of pumice stone which
haa Deea carried ny the wind distance OF over ten
which we found noatlng in the ar. and when it was
thick We had to hold our handkerchlcfs TO our
guently covered with It. On reaching emnence
hve miles from the stream found group OF forty
Kau, and had been here several days. From this
point dense clouds OF smoke could be seen rising ali
along the course OF the lava stream, from the
We hurried on and reached the dow shortly after
Whole scene opened before us Befwese u' Us and ~ h
crater was valley nve hundred yards wide and ten
miles long. which had recently been overnowed
throughout its entire width and length from the
mountain to the sea, where II wdened TO two or
three miles. The lava was OF the smooth pahoehoe
variety from ten to twenty feet Deep and partially
cooled over, though flames, smoke and gas escaped
from numerous crevices. We stood on Il, though II
was hot enough to burn the soes OF our shoes This
lava stream originated some ten miles up the noun
tain. and came down early on the morning Of the
opened vent lower down and fursher south Re
yond TINS valley about quarter Of mile distant.
was sae pail OF Mamalu steep precpice which runs
nom the mountain TO the south point OF Hawaii
OF Kahuku beautiful level plateau, covered
Tor herds Of cattle, horses, ss sheep ''',ass ans
goats About 2 mile above the road were The
there with mis- family. Near by were the dairy esab.
iisament OF G. N. Spencer and other dwellings.
rms plateau was several miles extent running "A
and dotted with hllocks
&C, On Tuesday afternoon, April :; at Ave O'Clock.
lerred to, and about two miles back OF Captain
Brown residence, burst out: The lava stream com
menced dowlng down the beautiful grass-coyered
plateau, towards and around The farm houses ana
the inmates had barely time TO escape with me
clothes they had on before the houses were ali sur
rounded. burned and covered with streams OF nery
lava. varying from five TO nfty IN depth. FOR
tunstey all the inmates escaped safely TO waiohInu
but how narrow the escape was and how RAPID the /
stream nowed may be inferred from the fact that
path by which they escaped was covered with lava /
ten minutes after they passed over IL.
On ascending the riQge we found tho eruption In .
full blast. Four enormous foul tairs, apparently dis
Hrul "A In mil
long. north and south, were continually spouing up
from the opening These jets we're blood red, and
yet as nud as water ever varying in ssZe bulk and
height. sometimes two would Join together ard /
again the whole four would be united, making one
continuous fountain a mile in length.
:, From the lower end Of the crater stream OF very
liquid. boiling lava flowed Out and down the plateau,
track or che Government road, ran down the preci-
pce at an angle OF about thirty degrees, then along
the stream being about eight or ten miles in length
ana IN some places half q mile wide
had hnrrsd, Ie ,o9 9agnncent scene 70 see which we
nved al 'lle right moment to witness as 1t opened
before us IN all Its majestic grandeur and unrvaled
Oeauy AL tne lett were those four great fount ans
boiling up with most terrific fury throwing crimson
lava and enormous stones weighing hundred tons
70 height varying constantly from five hundred to
six hundred feet. At times these redhOt rocks COM
pletely flied the air. causing great noise and roar
and flying In every direction, but generally towards
the South. Sometimes the fountains would ali sub
side for a few minutes, and then commence ncreas-
ing till the stones and liquid lava reached a thou.
sand feet in height. The grandeur OF this picture,
ever varying like moving panorama painted in the
richest crimson hues, no person can realize unless
From this great fountain to the sea nowed rapid
Stream OF red lava, rolling rushing and tumbllng
large rocSs as almost mads the alen. lava oa Is
dashed down the precipice and Through the valley
length like catssact, with power and fury per.
fecty indescribafle. Il was nothing else than river
or nre from two hundred TO eight hundred feet wide
aud twenty feet deep, with speed varying from
!en 70 twenty-five miles an hour
Night soon came and with /, the scene became a
thousandfold more beautiful, the crimson OF the
fountains and the river douby rich and brilliant the
uru xare OF The dense clouds and steam that over
nung US and the roaring OF the crater and the caa-
rsct Were iearfuly grand and awe-inspiring It was
IKE tne conhagration OF all London Paris as the
whole scene extended over distance OF ten mies
Add TO ths the flashes Of lightning and the sharp,
quick claps OF thunder, and the reader can Imagine
that scene was before that well repaid us FOR our
opportune visit.
Regarding the rapidy Of the stream OF lava since
reading accounts OF former eruptions in which il is
must say that It is hardly possible to conceive Of
stream moving with creator rapidity than the cata.
ract and river we witnessed April 10. 1t reminded
the stream hlled with ice and rushing over the
rapids at an impetuous rate. The speed Is more
twelve. Where IT ran down the precipice, at an
angie OF about thirtydegyees, It was more narrow
broader. Ths was the only stream which reached
the sea- and flowed into It little west OF the south
point Of the island, at place called kakii II lasted
only nve days. the eruption ccasing entirely on the
night OF the nth or the morning Of the 18th.
Opposite the point OF coast where the lava reached
the sea small conical sand was thrown up In the
SEA, about mile distant nom the shore, consisting
VI mud 'hd sand, and emitting steam from Its sum
NIT Th5 island has become Joined to the mainland
py Tue ilVa nowing from the new eruption. As the
.asa M ehsefel the sea, clouds OF steam and smoke
rs,n ur anu flames OF blush fire were emitted,
.g .sng IOn the water TO height of from ten to
M Msmeny leeI During the night we were at the vol.
pbar runI
ana electricity, and frequent rashes OF lightning
nan;ed win snorty over the lava stream, accom-
mountain. ''"ei ny '"e
Two kinds OF lava were erupted during the now
II commenced with stream OF smooth gSSossv pav.
known here as pohoehoe, which was followed by the
thick, dirty kind called dd. Kahuku farm vvas naarv
covered with the latter, which brancheS oni s,,o
four wide streams, covering a space of fonr ,,i,sv