The Placer herald., 1868-05-16
Terrible Volcanic Eruption Of Naun Loa
and Kllanea.

and Kilanea.
We clip from our exchanges such impor.
tant portions of these terrible eruptions as
we can make room for. The editor of the
Commercial Advertiser, writing to bis paper
from the scene, under date of Kealakekua.
Hawaii, Monday, April 18Th, after some
preliminary remarks, he says:
But we will bring the reader at once to
the brink of the lava stream. which We
reached at two o'clock, on Friday, the 10Th.
On ascending the ridge just west Of and
opposite the Maula Pail Of Kakuku, and
which was separated from us BY valley
about one eighth of a mile wide, the whole
scene opened before US in one grand pano'
rama. The valley itself was floored over
with pavement of pahoehoe lava. from ten
TO twenty feet deep, which appears to have
been the first thrown out, and came from a
crater about ten miles up the mountain,
which burst on Tuesday morning, April 7th
The crater and stream had ceased flowing
and the lava was rapidly coming, SO that we
ventured to stand on it, though at the risk
of burning our boots and being cboked by
the sulphurous gases.
On Tuesday afternoon, at five O'Clock,
| new crater, S6NeTHI t1Il6S lOWoI uoWH duu
about two miles directly back of Captain
Browns residence, burst ont with heavy
roar and frgh,ful crash. The lava stream
commenced flowing rapidly down the beauti
full plateau, toward and around the farm
house. and the inmates had barely time to
escape with what clothes they had on before
the houses were all surrounded and inclcsed
with streams Of fiery aa lava, varying from
five to fifty feet in depth Fortunately all
the inmates escaped to Waiohnu, bot how
narrow tba escape was, and how rapid the
stream flowed, may be inferred from che
fact that the path by which they escaped
was covered with lava within ten minutes
after they had passed over it.
The new crater, when visited by Swain,
was at least one and half miles in extent,
nearly circular, but constantly enlargng its
area, by engulphing the sides. While the
above gentleman was looking at it, tract
Of at least five acres in extent tumbed in
and was swallowed up like food for the de-
vouring element The enlargement ia going
on mainly on the lower side, toward the
farm houses, aud it is thought that its diam
eter is already about two miles.
Four huge jets or fountains we're contnu.
ally being thrown up out of this great crater,
ever varying in size and height, sometimes
apparently all joining together and making
one continuous spouting mile and hall
long.
From the lower side of the crater q stream
of liquid, rolling, boiling lava poured out
and ran down the plateau, then down the
s de of the pail following the track of the
Government road) then along the foot Of
the pail or precipice five miles to the sea.
This was the scene that opened before US
as we ascended the ridge on Friday At the
left were these four grand fountains playing
with terrific fory, throwing blood red lava
and huge stones, some rs large as house,
to height varying constantly from 500 to
1000 feet. The grandeur of this scene no
Imagination can picture-no one who has
not seen it can realize.
Then there was the rapid, rolling stream,
rushing and tumbling like swollen river
down the BILL over the precpice, and down
the valley to the sea, surcing and roaring
like a cataract, with fury perfectly indis-
cribable. This river of fire varied from 500
to 1900 or 500 feet in Width, and when it
is known that the descent was 1000 feet in
five miles, the statement that it ran at the
rate of ten miles an hour will not be
doubted.
We waited ill night, when the scene was
a hundred fold more varied and grand
the crimson red Of the lava doubIy bright
aud the lurd glare of the red smoke clouds
that overbung the whole, the roaring OF the
rushing stream, the noise OF the tumbling
rocks thrown out of the crater, and flashes
of electric igbtning-altogeth made IL
surprisingly grand, and showed that man is
nothing as compared with his Creator.
The ever-varying, ever changing pyrotech-
mic display we watched for hours-some of
us all night. took a sketch which send
you, and only wish it could be inserted in
the paper as sent. IL can only give faint
idea Of this grand scene.
Finding il impossible to get over TO
Waiohinu, either by going up the mountain
or by sea, we returned TO this place on
Saturday, and hope to 20 on soon BY steam.
er. From the Kau side the scene is even
more beautiful than what we had, as there
visitors can get up very near the crater, and
also directly over the lava stream. Another
advantage of the Kau side is, that the visitor
is not exposed to the strong sulpburous gases
aud smoke.
INCIDENTS or THE ERUPTION.
From several of The residents OF Waiohiou
| have learned number of interesting facts,
which may be inserted in this connection.
The number of shocks which occurred at
Waohinu, from March Goth to April 10th.
is estimated by SllIoway to have been up
ward Of 900; there having been some days
between 800 and 400. The heaviest shock
occurred Thursday. April I'd, being the same
that was felt 80 sensibly at Honolulu. This
destroyed every church and nearly every
dwelling 10 the whole district. From 10 to
l2 o'clock of that day. there bad been ser,
vice 10 the large church in Waiohlnu, and
it was crowded with people. Only four hours
after they left the heavy shock came, the