Centre Hall reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1868-1871, 1871-10-13

an Ahthhu on flFes
Tho sources Of volcanic oruptiona in
Hawaii are two. First, the crater Of
M-lau-o-a, situated upon the eastern
slope Of this mountain. and about mid.
way between its summit and the sea. IL
il a vast pit. nine miles in circumference.
sank in the flank Of the mountain, and
varying In depth, in different years, from
a thousand 10 fifteen hundred feet, ac-
cording as the sea Of molten lava beneath
its floor is nj high tide or at ebh. For
years this floor will be slowly raised by
the accumulating layas below and when
their lateral pressure becomes al last too
great to be resisted. the molten torrent,
rendlng its way with irresistible force
through rock aud earth, aud shaking the
whole island with the throes of its pro-
gress, finally breaks 10 the surface, five,
ten, or twenty miles from the crater
The river of fire leaps from the ground,
a mighty fountain that sometimes plays
n thousand feet high, with a jet that is
several hundred feet in diameter, and
pours down the flank Of the mountain
toward the sea. This IL often reaches,
enlarging the area of the island by push
ing out new capes and prOmontories of
lava into the water The lava thus elected
may remain, in many places, warm and
smoking for months after the eruption
has ceased yet have seen spots where
the natives, pulverizing the cooled lava,
and mixing with il few dead leaves
before planting in IL, had obtained good
crops OF sweet potatoes from what year
R.af 40 IA f4.t ..af s.ft NJ
ture thus ronews the soil-furnishing "a
bran-new article at each eruption, white
hot from her chemical labrat0ries in the
center Of the earth.
With each eruption "the bottom is
knocked out" so 10 speak, Of the great
crater of hi-lau-e-a. The flood of molten
lava upon which il rests is rapidly
drained away, and the vast floor of in
duated layas, an area of six square miles
at the bottom of the pit, goes crashing
still further downward, three, four, five
hundred feet toward the central fires /;
rs when the water-to compare great
things with small-is let OF from frozen
mlll-pOnd, and the ice settles down upon
the bottom. The mountain wall is prob
ably not entirely solid and compact, as
Wv A@NsAn stAN A4AANAAt41 HuAAt anu III
running on honeycomb its structure,
leaving numerous cayerns behind them,
through which subsequent eruptions
force the!r WAY. Yet the pressure re-
quired for the lava tO rend the mountain
wall il estimated AT not less than five
hundred pounds To the square inch, or
million pounds for stream two feet deep
and seven feet broad When the breadth
Of the lava stream is measured hy miles
instead Of feet, force enough is exerted
10 shake the island 10 its very founda-
tons.
The grand erupti0ns OF the ki-lau-e-a
occur, with some approach Of regularity,
at intervals of about eight years. But
the volcano does not, like Vesuyius,
Etna, or Stromboli, coniine its activity
30 special occasions. The fire rages con-
tinually In the southern end Of the great
crater, where lake of melted lava t0sses
its red surges and pours forth its sui
phurous vapors without ceaSing. This
lake. the " Hale Mau- mau," or T" House
Of Everlasting Fire" OF the old heather
mythology, may be safely approached
by the Traveller at almost any time.
The appearance Of ths lake varies
greatly, however, NJ different times.
Sometimes the lava is 50 far sunken
below its banks that the travel cannot
reach IL, and comes away quite diSap-
pointed with what he has seen. Again,
in times Of great activity, the fiery sea
may overflow upon the bottom OF the
crater, or force itself up through numer.
Gus cracks and chasins in the floor Of
indurated lavas. was once in the bot
tom of ki-lau-e-a when the lava, boiling
mp from below, oVeTiloNed its banks in a
manner 40 uniform and measured SO M
CONCEAL around the edges of the great
lake, and build for itself barrier around
the fearful cauldron Of fire. The lava,
thus walled in, gradually rose many feet
above the level where / with others stood,
at first quite unconscious Of the terrific
process that was going on 30 near us.
The fiery waves, tapping over the margin,
cungcaled where they fell. and thus
builded up. little by little, their inclos-
ing wall. The surface Of this sea Of fire
was elevated about thirty feet above the
level OF the bottom Of the crater il WAS
n boiling mass Of fuid layas. half mile
in diameter. that surged and thundercd
and sent down n threatening roar
Splashes of liquid fire. hurled over the
margin Of its confining barrier. fell
among our company. Warned by this
danger, we withdrew 10 4 short distance.
and awaited the breaking forth Of the
imprisoned fire. We had hardly gained
our new point Of observation before the
lava wall gave way in two places with
laundering crash and roar, and from
each OF the rents thus made n torrent Of
liquid fire poured over cliff fifty feet
high, into the rough channel OF former
flow. Roaring. glowing. smoking. and
wreathed in BLUSH flames, il ground
along the lava channel with a peculiar
duh thunder, that was caused by the
ponderous weight of the molten mass.
IL lapp,d up huge rocks aud bore them
away upon its surface / could see them
oscillate sluggishly upon the red river,
and finally melt and sink into il like 80
much wax. The power and splendor OF
this sudden display, the fierce sweep of
the mighty torrent, the strange process
that had heaped up the food of lava 20
disgorge IL with such rossstless power,
ali made a spectacle never 10 be forgotten
by any OF the party who witnessed it
Dr. r. W. Com, in ScribHcr's for October.