Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-09-28

ErupafOn-An UnusualIy Mngntl.
ceni Dlspiay-Earthquak Shocks
I'm the Island.
+ The Honolulu (Sandwich Islands) GA
zette, of August Il, supplies the follow
ing:
On the evening of the 18th inst. the
people of HiIo and other portions Of
Hawaii were startled by the sudden ap-
pearance Of an eruption at the summit
Of Mauna Loa, the locality of the vol
cano of Mokuaweoweo. At first, in Hilo,
SO intense was the light of the eruption,
that before the exact cause was discov-
cred, the inhabitants we're alarmed that
fire had occurred in town. The follow
lowing extract Of a letter from Rev. Mr..
Coan gives description Of the first ap-
pearance OF the eruption;
IAN Hilo was startled last evening by
the cry of FIRE. Looking to the summit
of Mauna Loa we saw gorgeous pillar
of red light standing upon the top of the
mountain and illuminating those nights
1t is grand eruption, but, from our
point Of observation, we could see no
evidence Of flow. We conclude that
1t is in the great crater Of Mokuaweoweo.
1t is cloudy to-day, and the mountain
is vailed. When we can get view in
the daytime, we shall be able to deter
mine its locality, / regret much that
Prof Kneeland and party could not have
seen this pyrotechnic reyel of M'me Pele.
But the old goddess is quite capricious
and utterly independent of us all. D."
Captain McGregor, of the Kilauea, in
forms us that upon the passage of Kona,
last week, he saw the light OF. the erup-
ton at night in the channel between
Maui and Hawaii. Through the mist
which hung over the mountain it looked
more like fiery red star than volcanic
eruption. Upon reaching the coast of
Hawaii, however, he found that there
must be grand commotion in the crater
of Mokuaweweoweo as the top of the
mountain presented a magnificent illu-
mination, column, apparently OF lava,
being constantly visible above the mouth
of the crater. Some severe shocks of
earthquake, we have been informed, have
been felt in Kona, Kau and Hilo re-
Gently. 1t is not at all certain that this
eruption in the summit of Mauna Loa is
the precursor of lava flow from the
sides of that mountain. We are informed
by those who have taken great pains to
Inform themselves upon the subject, that
similar eruptions have taken place fire.
auently, and after continuing for time
have subsidized 1t is possible, however,
the accumulation of lava in the crater of
Mokuaweoweo may be so great as to
force its way through some weak point
in tha tnnnnt side
The Gazette, in its issue for August
28th, gives some additional particulars,
saying "0ur latest advices from Ha-
waii inform us that the eruption still
continues in Mokuaweoweo, at the sum
nit Of Mauna Loa. A column of fire
or lava is constantly being thrown up
several hundred feet above the summit
of the crater, presenting, in the night, a
most imposing spectacle. The people
living around the base of Mauna Loa
are in momentary expectation of lava
flow from the sides of the mountain.
When it is considered that the floor Of
the crater is something like 500 feet be-
low the rim, and that the column of lava
is estimated to be thrown something like
200 feet above the rim, it must be
thrown up at least 700 feet. The col
umn must also be immense, as it can be
seen distinctly from all sides of the
mountain, which, in the night, it lights
up in grand style. The eruption reached
its grandest dimensions about eight days
before our informant left the coast of
Hawaii, since which time the column Of
FIRE had not perceptibly diminished