Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1868-05-16
TERRIFIC EARTHQUAKES.
Sandwich Islands.

SAN Francisco. May 7.--The bark Comet,
from the Sandwich Islands, brings accounts
of terrible volcanic eruption by Mauna
Loa, which began its demonstrations on
March 81. On the 2Stb, 100 earthquake
shocks were felt, and during the two weeks
following TO April Is, 1000 earthquake
shocks occurred. At Waischina the earth
opened in many places, and tidal wave 60
feet high rose over the tops of the cocoa
trees quarter of mile inland, sweeping
human beings, houses, and everything NOV
able before it. A terrible shock prostrated
churches and houses, and killed many per
sons. In ALL one hundred lives were lost
beside thousand horses and cattle. The
craters vomited fire, rock, and lava, and a
river of red hot lava, five or six miles long,
flowed to tie sea at the rate of ten miles
per hour, destroying everything before it,
and forming an island in the sea. A new
crater two miles wide opened and threw
rocks and streams of fire thousand feet in
to the air, and from it streams of lava rolled
to the sea. At one time, the illumination
was visible at night so miles distant. The
lava has pushed out from the shore on.
mile. at Waischina, three miles from the
shore, a conical leland rose suddenly, emit
ting column of steam and smoke, while
the Kono packe. was passing, spattering
mud on the vessel. The greatest shock oc.
cured April 2, great shower of ashes and
pumice. During the great shock the swing
ing motion of the earth was dreadful, so
violent that no person could stand. In the
midst of this tremendous shock an eruption
of red earth poured down the mountain,
rushing across the plain three miles in three
minutes, and then ceased. Then came the
great tidal wave, and then the streams of
lava. The villages on the shore were all
destroyed by this wave. The earth opened
under the sea, and Redeemed the water
The earth eruption swallowed 80 persons,
and the sea many more. Dreadful suffer.
ing and terror prevailed in the district, and
the whole region was affected. The sloop
Live Yankee has been dispatched with pro.
visions, &c., to rescue and relieve.
ANOTHER AccouST-.THE GREATEST EARTH.
QUAKE ON RECORD.
Honolulu, April 8, SAN Francisco, May
6.-The greatest volcanic eruption or re.
cord has occurred on this Island. Fifteen
hundred shocks of earthquake were felt in
ten days, causing fearful tidal waves. A
whole village was destroyed, aud 100 lives
were lost. The shocks of earthquake com.
menced March az, and continued up to our
latest dates-April 10th. This district
(Kau) is the center of motion. A stream Of
molten lava is flowing from the summit of
Mauna Loa through recess in the lands of
Kakuku and Poakini, to the sea. At Kao-
lucia Landing the slope and part Of the
summit of q hill, 500 feet high, were lifted
bodily and thrown over the tops Of the
trees, distance of 900 feet. At Wahoinee
crack has opened extending from the sea
to as high rs the eye can reach on the slope
of Mauno Loa, from one to seven feet in
width, and an eruption of moist clay was
thrown from the side of the mountain be
tween Lymans and Richardson, a distance
of two-and -tLree-quarler miles, one mile in
width in three minutes, overwhelming
houses, men, and hundreds of animals A
column of smoke was thrown out of Mauno
Loa to an altitude of seven and four fifths
miles An expedition has been fitted out
to relieve the distressed, The tidal waves
swept over the tops of the cocosnut trees on
the Kau coast. During the seysrest shock
of earthquake, April Q, no living creature
stood. Bodice on the ground tossed about
like India-rubber balls. In this district
fortunately very sPsrssly ssttled) not one