The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-05-28
THE SANDWICH ISLANDS.


TIE Great Eruption-Fivc Rivers Of Lava
Pouring at Once from Mauna L6A-The
Earthquake Of May 2-The Earth Tremblins
Lzke the Lid Of "Boilius Pot.,, ,ioff
s.c,, HILo, ISLAND OF HAWAII, April TO- 1858.
For fourteen days past our island has been the
theatre Of such commissions as have no record in its
history traditions. On Friday the 27th utino re-
peated shocks Of earthquakes were felt throughout
the districts OF Kan and Kona, waxing more fire.
qpent and vigorous The vast terminal crater No.
huaweoweo, on the summit Of Mauns Loa, sent up
columns Of smoke, steam and red light. In short
time It was seen that the great domed mountain had
been rent through Its southern slope anddthat four
separate streams Of molten minerals, were pouring
out OF its fiery assures and flowing rapidly down its
Sides IN divergent lines. The longest stream took
so1therly course towards the village OF Kahuku, In
kau and progressed from fifteen to twenty miles.
Then all at once the great mountain valves closed
All sub arial action ceased. All eyes In Hilo, Kau
and Kona were gazing with intense apprehension
for the temperance Of the fiery torrents thus sud-
denly checked at their source, and all tongues were
inquirlng, ''what has become Of the fire ?" s -
Meanwhile Kiiauea the great lateral crater OF
Mauna Loa-the raging caldron OF molten lava which
IL never quescent but has rolled Its fiery surge with
out intsrmission since the memory OF man-Kilauea
was In more furious action than ever; boiling and
roaring, throwing down avaanches OF rocks from its
adamantine walls, and finally breaking down, with
aseethng mood Of fusion the rocky barriers that d.
yided 1t from the adjacent crater known as "Lttle
Kilauean Little Kilauea is four times as large as
Vesuvius and the larger crater is nine miles In cir
conference and 1000 feet deep. 1t soon became evil
dent that the great molten ocean which had COM
Inenced to now from the summit of the mountain at
Sheight Of $4,000 feet above the level Of the sea, was
now finding outlet by the lateral crater. Instead Of
dnvy no cr1rfaa aoft nfoiu No
mood was melting, pressing and rending its way
along subterranean ducts and assures with force
ehat the walls and foundationso OF our island could
net resist. w d svs rt.i s39ei q
The eject was felt in rapid succession OF earth
quakes Of different degrees OF intensity, but so
nearly continuous as to keep the earth In constant
Jerking and quiverng motions grew more positive
and intense, and the sharp, vertical and undulatng
Sngs Continued om h ah Of
march, until Thursday April q. On this Gay, at four
The shock was awful. The @ crust Of The earth rose
and sunk like the sea in storm. The rending OF
rocks the prostration Of stone fences the shatterng
Of buildng6 the crashing of furniture and OF glass
into the sea- the swaying Of trees the trembling Of
Of men and animals--all made scene Of terror and
confusion such HiO has never witnessed since the
xxi was of iss sa * ns s
animals were wild with anrighe The Hilo prison,
ste1e building. fell; hundreds Of fathoms Of stone
Hal were thrown down; Rev. Mr.. Lyman's dwelling
house, his large school house. Mrs. Shpman's and
our own residences were rackec started on their
phens and minerals which stood nearly north and
SOUTH was shaken into confusion, but not over
right angles to this direction, was thrown dat upon
M study moor showing that the main force Of the
ou and uoe esS @AS MY study table e was broken
and one leg OF 1t was thrown halfway across the
room; the plaster was shaken from the walls and the
ceilings and from the garnet to the cellar the floors
were thckly strewn with dS611S DR., WetmOre's
drug store was In utter confusion. The floor was
house steamed with the pungent fumes Of inc0mpatl-
BILE acids 1t Is marvel that ignition and explosion
did not take place Nearly the whole stock OF medi-
!, Another shock Of equal severity, must have ruined
r. e rSsn G & snn s
Gfy the CONSERVATION, the sea came rushing In as
high az the bank along which Front street runs per-
md citizens ned inland, some selling and carrying
Away what goods they could upon their shoulders.
careless Of the previous earthquakes, merely lifting
my pen fom the paper when they had Jared my
out Of SSors Whole oWn was with u.s.
sood, or walked, or eat IN their verandahs Multi.
t%dss spent the night out Of doors under the shelter
shelter in the low and light matched houses of the
natives We went 70 q native hut and watched the
Sharp shocks OF earthquake followed each other in
rapid succession until the next DAY.
suffered q kau
toa had spread beneath It for breadth OF many
shocks were rapid and frlghtful. Al the same hour
Of our great shock the earth rent between Jug,
Ecnsrdsons at Kapapala, and in moments time
disgorged on enormous mass OF rocks, eartn and
mud three miles ss long y wE wave Saae S
with It thirty Of its inhabitants and about nve hun
dred head Of cattle and horses so sudden anu SO
escape It was like the bursting OF shell or the dis,
charge Of park Of artillery me shock dSstroye zee
value oY 100000, the house and ranch Of Judge Ly.
man and nearly all the other buildings IN that
We're 80 terrible that horses and men were thrown
prostrate upon the ground All the people thought t
failing houses and collected on an elevated spot oyer
looking the sea- and there, under the open sky they
spent che night IN prayer and singing: .no. g. ,.a
risen or that the shore had SUNK from fifteen to
twenty feet and that all the houses and every NOV
miles, from Punaiuu to Honeapa The sea was in
terrible commotion and greatly discolored. 1t
seemed nearly certain that the lava streams had
zone down by subterranean passages and disgorged
themselves deep under tile bed OF the ocean. Many
Yves were DESTROYED BY this innux OF sne sea; now
si1tyseven killed BY the earth eruption and by the
seA the total win be a considerably larger number
6ince the great shock on the I'd inst. we have
Of the earth. Our last smart shock was on the 9TH.
past and we are encouraged TO hope that the pres
with everything ready to leave the house ct mo.
fnent's warning The Lymans have not occupied
their house since the great shock Judge Lyman and
his family and nearly all the Inhabitants OF Eastern
Kau left homeless In that district, have come TO
Hilo, three days journey, for asylum and sym
pathy.
This is the first time that we Of Eastern Hawaii
have feared an earthquake for 1t is the first dsas-
had supposed the era Of volcanic disturbances to
have been finished long ago. Our people are now In
them. One woman was killed In Hilo and several
persons were wounded by the falling Of precipices
lives spared and that we still have shelter from
the storm, with food and rament. Let US hope that
on record.
The latest messages from Kau report that the lava
has burst up to the surface and that stream OF IRE
is running to the sea. All the churches and most Of
the houses are destroyed The people are trying TO
escape to the island Of Oahu. relief schooner was