The New York herald., 1868-05-09
TBLECRAPhlC News
'''''a ae FROM ga -
ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD.
Terrific Convulsion OF the
e -saSA Sandwich Islands. p
Fearful Earthquakes and Vol
by canic Eruptions.
Mountains Hurled Into the Air,
Rivers of Molten Fire, an Island
Risen from the Ocean.
WHOLE VILLAGES DESTROYED.
GREAT LOSS OF LIFE.
The British War Operations i'm
Abyssinia.
Wv 4reH FE - rifi TN'g eIrgl
. - iHatfr a
Magdala Burned, TheodoruS' Dynasty
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WHOLE VILLAGES DESTROYED.
GREAT LOSS OF LIFE.
The British War Operations i'm
"a Abyssinia.
Magdala Burned, Theodorus' Dynasty
,o Deposed and a New King Crowned \
l'@ % 's3 by the British. .saa aG e
SANDWICH ISLANDS.

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Terrible Volcanic Eruption-Mnuna Loa in
Acsion-Two Thousand Earthquake Shocks
In Twelve Days-FearfuI Tidal Waves
Entire Villages Destroyed-One Hundred
Lives Lost-The Greatest Volcanic Eruption
of Modern Days
ng0aav .r, ell HONOLULU, Hawaii, April Is, l n
y lo aa1a VIA SAN FRANCISCO, May 8, 1868. J =
The greatest volcanic eruption recorded in modern
times has occurred on the island Of Hawaii, one Of
the group Of Sandwich Islands. For some time
past 1t had been observed that the crater Of Kauea
was very active, and that a new volcano had been
formed. The volcano is the well known Mauna Loa
and It has elevation Of 1853 feet. On the 27th
of March last the new eruption commenced and has
continued up to the latest dates. During twelve
days there have been two thousand shocks OF earth
quake followed by fearful tidal waves which have
destroyed entire villages and caused the death Of
one hundred persons ave ., t W
\. For nfteen days the district Kona has been the
centre Of motion for the great eruption gigantic
stream Of molten lava is flowing from the summit Of
Mauna Loa across the lands Of Kakuka and Poakini
to the sea at Kaauala landing The slope and part
OF the summit of mountain fifteen hundred feet
and thrown the tops Of trees for distance Of
over one thousand feet. At Wahoinee creek has
opened extending from the sea. To as high as the
eye can reach on the slope Of Mauna Loa the lava is
from one to seven feet in width, and eruption Of
moist clay was thrown from the side OF the noun
tan between Lyman's and Richardson's, distance Of
two miles and three-quarters, with width Of one
mile, In the short space Of three minutes This ter
rible eruption overwhelmed houses persons and
hundreds of animals and scattered death and de-
struction wherever the clay fell.
column OF smoke seven and four-ffths miles in
altitude was thrown out of Marna Los, obscuring
everything for miles around. save where the bright
spiral pillars Of fire flashed upwards from the mouth
of tho volcano. The sight was one Of the grandest
but most appalling witnessed and almost defes
description.
The immense tidal waves came rushing in with so
great height that they swept over the tops Of the
+cocosnut trees on the Kona coast
During the severest shock of earthquake, which
took place on the I'd of April, no living creature
could stand up for moment. Immense bodies Of
earth were tossed about at great distances II they
were feathers waited from point to point by storm
of wind. Not one stone stands upon another as
before In this district. Immense precipices which
have hitherto been terror to all who have seen
them have been evelled to the earth, and where the
ground was formerly smooth and unbroken for
miles around the earth has been rent asunder and
,upheaved, forming gigantic chasms and precipices.
The entire typographical appearance Of the coun-
try has been completely changed that even those
who have lived in the desoated district all their lives
cannot recognize 1t point out localities with which
they were formerly familiar Luckily, this part Of
the island is but sparsely populated and the lands
are not in general cultivation.
The loss Of life % far be ascertained is as
follows:-In the village Of Palinka thirtythree; at
Mokaka thirteen; at Pualua four; at Honah, twenty
seven; at vanilo three. This makes total Of eighty
persons killed as reported mp to the present time.
There are rumors about that the casualties consider
ably exceed one hundred but nothing definite this
matter has been received All Of the unfortunate
persons who have lost their lives were native
Hawfians, not white person being killed or in any
way injured.
Expeditions are being fitted out here to relieve
the distressed.
At the present moment the entire group Of islands
As enveloped In dense black SMOKE and the indica-
tons are that Mauna Loa Is still in active volcanic
eruption
Additional Particulars Of the Eruption-Nar-
rev Escape Of Persons-Immensc Flow OF
Lav~-THs sccne magnificent.
HoxoLuLu, April Is,
VIA SAN FRANCISCO, May 8, 1868.
since writing my last despatch further intelli-
:geace has been received Of the great volcanic
eruption. vessel has just arrived from Hawaii,
bringing later accounts Of the lava now and Of the
eruption In general.
The nrst stream Of lava broke out from the
crater Of hauna Loa, some two miles above the
residence Of Captain Robert Brewn, and flowed
directly towards It It came down the mountain
side in broad stream. several feet in DEPTH and
travelled with such rapidtty that the family in the
house had barely time to escape, taking away with
them nothing but their clothes. The path which
sney took was perfectly free ffom lava; but ten