Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-03-29
Magnificent Eruption of the Volcano
Mauna LOa.

The prime news of the hour, as well the
freshest, is the intelligence of the grand
eruption on Mauna Loa and submarine
outbreak in Kealakeakua Bay. As yet
the details received here are meager; but
the general accounts agree in prOnounc-
ing the recent outbreak of the old safely
valve of this hemisphere the grandest on
record. The eruption commenced be-
tween nine and ten O'Clock on the evening
of Wednesday, the 18th of February, with
great violence and without a moments
warning. The point of activity was the
old crater on the top of the mountain.
When the eruption commenced the flames
suddenly burst from the mountain and
formed q magnificent column of fire to
the height OF 10000 feet above the sum-
nit. From the deck of the steamer XII
lauea, lying at anchor at Kawaihae, five
distinct columns of fire could be seen
belching forth from the mountain, ap-
parently not from the great summit era
ter of Mokuaweoweo, but from a smaller
crater situated some miles distant from
it, called Pohakuhanalei. The sight was
grand one, as the columns of illumi-
mated smoke shot up almost simultaneous
ly to an immense height in the air. The
velocity with which they assembled was
QUILL theit nlSb O,OOO lSSG WctC pdSStll
inside of a minute A few davs after
intelligence reached here that the fire had
disappeared, to the great disappointment
of thousands who were preparing to start
for the scene. But soon after news came
that the great pyrotechnic exhibition of
Nature was still on the boards, or other
wise the water. and that the animation of
the spectacle was enhanced by frequent
earthquake shocks. 1t is the general
opinion that the stream of lava is flow
ing rapidly down the mountain side to-
ward Kahuku in Kau. When last seen
1t had progressed a number of miles
from the place Of its first outbreak but
did not seem to have reached the woods.
The illumination was so brilliant that all
parts of the island were lighted up, and
even on Maui the reflected glare was so
great that in Waikapu it was supposed
that the cane fields and mill buildings of
Makee's plantation were on fire. One
spectator who has witnessed number of
states that he never saw a more
illumined smoke cloud
from any previous one. BY some ardent
American patriots the theory was started
that Madame Pele had instituted this
festival in honor of the newly elected
President; but the Kanakas entertain
quite different view. On the gath, the
steamer Kilauea arrived with a party of
at Kealakeakua Bay-the
place where Capt. Cook met his death.
There they found that submarine vol
eano had broken out near the entrance to
the harbor the preceding night. About
mile from shore, jets of red, green and
yellow fire leaped from the waters, inter
spersed with columns Of steam and spray
that glowed with innumerable rainbows,
the spectacle being one of the grandest
sights conceivable. In this locality the
water is boiling and whirling like an i'm
mense cauldron-or one might better say,
kettle of fish. Thousands are seen float
ing on the surface, ready cooked for the
repast of swarms of Kanakas engaged in
gathering the dainty abundance in their
canoes. Large quantities of lava are also
thrown up and float for some time on the
surface. The matter is either buoyed by
the intensely boiling water, Of sustained
by gases that gradually ooze from its
pores.-H0noIulu (Aarcb y Cor. San
Francisco Chronicle.