National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1868-05-15

SAN FRANCISCO, May T. The
barque Comet. from the Sandwich
Islands, brings accounts of terrible
volcanic eruption by the Mauna
Loa, which began its demonstrations
OH March %. One hundred earth
quake shocks were felt, and during
the two weeks following, to April
-, two thousand earthquake shocks
occurred at Waischina. The earth
opened in many places, and the IT,
dial wave, 60 feet high, rose over the
tops of the cocoa trees for quarter
of mile inland, sweeping human
beings, houses and everything NOV
able before 1T. The terrible shock
Frustrated churches and houses,
and killed many persons. In all,
one hundred lives were lost, besides
a thousand horses and cattle. The
craters vomited fire, rocks and lava,
and river of red-h lava five or
six miles long flowed to the sea at
the rate of ten miles per hour, des
trOying everything before it and
forming an island in the sea. A new
crater, two miles wide, has opened,
throwing rocks and streams of fire
1000 feet high, and streams OF lava
rolled to the sea. At one time the
illumination extended 90 miles at
night. The lava has pushed out
: from shore one mile. At Waischina,
: three miles from the shore, the Con
val island rose suddenly, emitting
a column of steam and smoke, while
the Keno packet was passing, spat-
tering mud on the vessel.
The greatest shock occurred April
.. Prior to the eruption there was
a great shower Of ashes and pumice.
During the great shock the swing
ing motion of the earth was dread
full, SO that no person could stand.
In the midst of this tremendous
shock an eruption of red earth pour.
ed down the mountain and rushed
across the plalE at the rate OF three
miles in three minutes, and then
: ceased. Then came a great tidal
wave. and then streams OF lava
The villages on the shore were al
, destroyed by this wave, and the
earth opened under the sea and red
dened the water. The earth erup
, ton swallowed thirty persons, anC
: the sea many more. Great suffer
ing and terror prevailed in the dis
trct and the whole region was at
/ fectcd.
The sloop olive Yankee" has beer
dispatched with provisions, &c, tt
rescue and relieve.
1 The Honolulu correspondent o
, the Bulletin gives the details of the
4 volcanic disturbance, showing tina
= earthquake shocks extended to al
G the islands OF the Hawaiian group
{ but no damage is knows to have
| occurred Around Marian Loa nu
e merous extensive land slides accom-
t panied the phenomena, destroy
< ing life and property. The SUNNI
a and side Of the hill, 1900 feet il
= height, were thrown a thousand fee
II over the tops OF trees and landed II
the valley below, The gasSes tina
h issued aiterward destroyed bot
t. vegetable and animal life. Bottom
It less Tissues opened III the mountai
IT sides. Lava streams flowed undo
It ground, breaking ont i'll four jet
six miles from the sea and THROWN
lava and stones 1000 to 1900 fee
high. The new island thrown up
100 feet high and is now joined
the main land by a stream of lava
q mile wide.
n y large stream fwater has burs
a from the mountain where the cart
" eruption occurred. The base of III
: volcano is about thirty miles in eli
!. cumference and is desolated. A
|. least half a million dollars worth ,
IF property is destroyed. The Kin
IA of the Sandwich Islands has issue
a proclamation for the relief OF tt
20 sufferers. Many visitors had goI
~ from Honolulu and many will G
N from San Francisco. The worst
r thought to be over, but the lava ito
n. continues. 1t is a grand spectacl