The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-09-21

There before MS. III our feet as II were. yawned 4
terrific clasm. with black perpendicular walls car
ryiIg the eye down some 500 feet. 10 where, IN the
inky blackuess OF the lower basin, sprung zap in
GLORIOUS sparkling light s~elEbOrn, a mighty fountain
VI clear molten lava
Referring TO the diagram published herewith, the
reader will find that we reached the crater's edge on
the eastern side at the point marked by the outline
Of a tent. The ancient walls that encircle the pit,
marked \, on our side fell perpendiculaTly about
five hundred feet, while on the opposite or western
side they ran down nearer eight hundred, 20 where
the plateau marked Is formed a floor to the crater,
broken down again TO form the pit marked {. The
general shape OF the central crater, MOkuaweoWeo,
was an irregular ellipse, rather more than three
quar- ters Of a mile through its shorter axis, by about
a mile and a quarter from the dividing wall marked
by a dotted line on the left, that separated It from r,
the crater known As Pohaku Hanalei, to Il similar
though not 50 well defined partition wall on the
right hand that Joined 20 II the crater c.. Looking
straight across and below Us at a distance IN an air
line Of possibly three-quarters Of n mile, there rose
from n cone located near the southwest corner Of the
lower basin, a magnificent fountain Of liquid lava,
about seventy-hye feet IN diameter, that sent its vol
Hme of brilliant sparkling molten matter TO G height
estimated at five hundred feet, in a compact and
powerful JET. The axis Of this gigantic fountain
was somewhat inclined towards u, 80 that the de-
scendiug cascade fell cielr and distinct from the up
ward shooting Jet, and tOrued one continuous fall Of
Ii1uii metal, surprisingly beautiful 20 gaze upon.
Behind this merry fountain, a dark incline Of debris,
partly thrown up By this outbreak, partly formed oy
masses failing from the wall against Wlicn IL festeu,
reared itself against the steep side Of the crater, and
stool out boldly in tine intense light from the incan-
descent fountain On the left, with Its base nearly
reached by the liquid streams flowing out from the
lake into which the cascade tell. was another long
pile Of debris that reached to the level Of the plateau
Il. should say here that the sides Of this plateau
looked % be about one hundred feet deep 20 where
they met the edge Of the lower basin. The basin it.
self occupied about ono third Of the space bounded
by the ancient walls Of the crater.
FToUinr down the sides Of the symmetrical cone
that the falling stream Of lava was rapidly forming,
were many bright rivers Of liquid light that, spread
ing a. they flowed away. and crossing and recrOssing
in a tangle u bright lines, formed a lake Of rivulets
that ever widening, mingliDg, spreading and inter-
lacing presented a unique and beautiful appearance.
On the extreme right hand verge Of this lower
BASIN detached pools Of fire showed that while dark
crust was forming on the surface, beneath, the entire
area Of the basin was OveriJwed by the melted lava.
We watched steadily the grand fountain playing
before VI. and called frequently 70 each other to
note when some tall jet. rising far above the head
Of the main stream. wOUli carry with &c immense
ma---- 81 wEiir-h5I glowing rock. -hlt - thry fell