The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-11-22
The Largest Volcano in the World.

The Largest Volcano i'll the World.
allow We worked that passage up hill
and down hill, over hard pointed lava
that cut through our shoes like knife
blades; over light, crumbled lava, into
which we sank up to our knees; over hills
of lava that were themselves covered with
smaller hills; into ravines, and over steam
cracks, some of which we could Jump
with the aid of our long poles, and some
of which We had to find our way around !;
steam cracks whose depth we could not
see, and into which we thrust our walk
ng-stick, drawing them out charred
black or afiame; over lava so hot that we
ran as rapidly and lightly as possible, to
prevent our shoes being scorched. Three
hours of this kind of work for the three
miles, and HGle-mdu-mdu, or House of
Everlasting Fire lay splitting and moan
ing at our feet
"a lake of boiling lava is what the
column of smoke marked out to us-a
pit within pt-a lake of raging lava
fifty feet below US. of which st. Nicholas
gives you a picture taken from life
alt was so hot and suffocating on the
brink of this lake that we cut eye-holes
in our handkerchiefs, which we wore as
masks. Even then we had to run back
every few moments for breath of fresber
air. though we were on the windward
side of the lake. The gases on the lee
ward side would suffocate one instantly.
Oh, the glory This Hale mau-mau.
whose fire never goes out, is huge lake
of liquid lava, heaving with groans and
thuuderinys that cannot be described
Around lis edge, as you see in the pic
ture, the red lava was spouting fG
riously. Now and then the CEN
ter Of the lake cooled over, form
ing a thin crust of black lava, which.
suddenly cracking in hundred direc-
tions, let the blood-red fluid ooze up
through the seams, looking like fiery
snakes.
For three hours we gazed, SPELL
bound, though it seemed but a few mo-
ments; Ne were chained to the spot, as Is
every one else who visits Kilauea.
"lhe wind, as the jets rose in the air,
spun the molten drops of lava into fine
threads, which the natives call Pele's
hair, and very like hair it is.
''All this time, under our feet, were
rumblings and explosions that made Us
start and run now and then, for fear Of
being blown up; coming back after each
fright, unwilling to leave the spot.
occasionally the embankment of the
lake cracked off and fell in, being imme-
diately devoured by the hungry flood.
Terrible as is old Pee, the VOLCANOES
tutelar deity. she is an excellent cook
She keeps great many ovens heated fol
the use of her guests, and no two at the
same temperature, so that you may select
one of any heat you wish. In these ovens
tsteam- cracks she boils tea, coffee and
eggs; or cooks omelets and meats. You
wrap the beef or chicken, or whatever
meat you may wish to cook, in leaves,
and lay il in the steam crack. Soon it is
thoroughly cooked. and deliciously, too
'She also keeps tub OF warm water
ready for bathers.
"She doesn't mean to be laughed at,
though, for doing this kind of work, and
doing it IN an original kind of way. At
ter she has given you one or two round
shakings, which she generally does. you II
have great respect for the old lady, and
feel quite like taking off your hat TO her
With the shakings and the thunderings
under-f foot, and now and then the open
ing of a long steam crack, she keeps her
visitors quite in awe of her powers, though
she is probably several hundred years old
Not far from the little hut where We
sleep, close to the precipice, is Pc e's
great laboratory where she makes sui
phur. We wear our straw hats 10 the
sulphur banks, and she blesches them
for US.
swell, this strange, strange land, old
many Pele being one of its curiosities.
II only hope you may see the active
old goddess before she dies. She hasn't
finished her work yet. Once in a while
she runs down to the shore to battle and
look at the Pacific Ocean, and when
there she generally gives new cape &c
Hawaii by running out into the sea-"
Majestic old Pelel Long may she live
-SaSah Codn, tH 50. Nicholas.