The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-05-09

ted some ten miles up the mountain, and came
down early on the morning of the 9TH. lt had
ceased flowing. the eruption having opened II vent
lower down and further south
Beyond this valley, about IL quarter OF Il mile
distant was tie Iali of NI;imalu, steep preci-
picc which runs from the mountain to the south
point of Hawaii, and forms the west boundary of
the table land of kahuku, beautiful level pla-
teau covered with tall grass, aiiordng excellent
paSturage for herds of cattle, horses, sheep and
.roats About II mile above the road We're the
farm houses of Capt. Robt. Brown, who lived
there with his family. Near by were the dairy
establishment of Z. y. Spencer, and other dwell
ings This plateau several miles IN extent.
running as far az Waiohinu, and sloping gently
off to the sea, and dotted with hiliocks.
On Tuesday afternoon, April Ith at , % clock,
n new crater, several miles lower down than that
referred To, and about two miles back OF Captain
Browns residence, burst out. The lava stream
commenced Il wing down the beautiful Srass-cov-
cred plateau towards and around the farm house,
and the INN ,t,s had barely time u escape with
the clothes they had on, before the houses were all
surrounded. burned and covered with streams of
fiery lava va-yns from five u fifty feet In depth
Fortunately all tine inmates escaped safely To
Waiohinu but how narrow the escape was, and
bow rapid the stream flowed, may he inferred
from the fact that tine path by which they escaped
was covered with lava ten nuhuies alter they
PASSED over ii.
On ascending the ridge found the eruption
entity distinct from each other, and yet forming n
line n mile long. north and south, were continu-
ally spoutin:s up from the opening. These Jets
were blooi-reI and yet hdid as water, ever
VARYING in size, bulk and height. Sometimes two
woild lin together, and again the whole four
would he united, making one continuous iountan
n mile in length
FROM tie lower end of the crater stream of
very liquid boiling lava flowed out and down the
plateau, distance of two or three miles, then
following the track of the Government road, ran
down the prccIpicc mt angle of about thirty
degrees then along the foot of the pail prec-
picc five miles to the sea, the stream being about
eight or ten miles in length, and in some places
half II mile wide.
This was the magnificent scene, to see which
we had hurriely left Honolulu, and had FORUM
ately arrived mt the right moment to witness. as
it opened before us in all its majestic grandeur
and unrivalled beauty. At the left were those
four great fountains, boiling up with most terrific
fury, throwing crimson lava and cnormD Dus stones.
weighing an hundred tons, to height varying
con stantly from 800 to coo feet. At times these
: rcd-hot rocks completely filed the air, causing
Il great noise and roar, and flying III every dIrec-
ton bat generally towards the south. Some
times the fountains would all subside for a few
minutes. and then commence increasing TIL the
stones and liquid lava reached thousand feet III
height. The grandeur of this picture ever vary
ing like moving panorama, painted In the rich
est crimson hues-no person can realize unless he
has witnessed it.
From this great fountain to the sea flowed a
rapid stream of red lava, rolling, rushing and
Ia,nbng like II swollen river, and bearing along
in it, current large rocks that almost made the
lava foam as it dashed down the precipice and
through the valley into the sea, surgng and roar
inr throughout its length like cataract, with a
irowcr and fury perfectly ndescribable. Lit was
e. nothing else than a rirer of fire. from two hun
E dred u eight hundred feet wide and twenty feet
deep with speed varying from ten 10 fiUenfy nee
, hiiies on hour. As huge boulder hoated down,
we imagined what if it the iron-clad SOne-
rail. which had just left our harbor-would she
! have iloated to the sea unscathcd, or melted
into molten lava. and vanished from sight?
Night soon came, and with 1t the scene became
n thnusand-fpld more beautiful. the crimson Oi
thc fountains and tie river dOubly rich and bril-
liant the lurid glare of the dense clouds and
steam that oNcrhung and the roaring of the
crater and cataract fearfullv grand and awe
, inspiring Ii was like the confiagratiOn of al
A London or Paris. the whole scene EXTENDED
over a distance of ten miles. Add to THIS the
: flashes of lightning and the sharp. quick claps %
thunder, and the reader imagine that seen,
. was before us that well repaid us for our oppor
= tune visit. We never expect u see another II
= grand as this.
II DR.. William IIillebrand and Others have visiteC
, tn, crater since il ceased flowing, and Ind that q
= consists simply of a rent or fSSWe in the earth
: from ten to twenty feet wide. lie traced it abou
! three miles up the mountain, hut 1t II quite prob
- able that it extends several miles farther on rs
4 the mountain continues smoking IN Inc tel
;, miles above. There is therefore no large crater
i properly speaking. but the lava dow was eontinc'
!. 10 this rupture. which continued To open lowe
= down as the molten lava acted on 1t.
!, The view which we obtained of the eruption
!; from the Kpna side ON the lOth of April wa
!, therefore side vicw and probably the finest am
= nearest that could possibly have been had On
popularity of this spouting was that the lava wa
=, elected with rotary motion, and Us II ascende
|; the air. both the lava and stones rotated alway
- in one direction fO,rdrds The south. In this re
J. spect II differed from that of 1889, which We wer
N also among the first 10 witness. TINS rotary I'M
n ton of the lava would appear to have Originates
\ below the surface. rs it rolled along like waves
,o and corresponds with the surgins sounds heard n
:. the inhabitants of kau duling the heavy earth
!. quake shocks.
= Regarding the rapidity of the stream OF lava
n since reading accounts of former eruptions, /
\ which it is claimed that the lava iowel fort