The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1879-08-30

with the exception that il was ftful and rose aud
fell in lambert fame like the blast from some
huge furnace.
But /" early to bed and early to rise " was the
monition from our host and chaperone, so the
hour Of 10 P. n. found everybody in bed and IN
der blankets-for Kilaues is six thousand feet
above the sea level and the air is decidedly cool
after nightfall. At a quarter before 5 o'clock on
Monday morning the entire party proceeded to
make the descent into the crater. This was done
in single file, following a native guide, and the
distance down the side of the abyss to the ledge
or shelf which interviewed before we reached the
region Of perpetual FIRE is about 800 feet. Ii Is
rather steep, but well worn by the feet of fire.
quent tourists, and comparatively easy of descent.
- Facilis descensus averno." Over a rough bed of
clinkers and volcanic rocks, thrown about in
every conceivable shape, our party proceeded un-
der the leadership of the native guide until they
came to the ledge overlooking the South Lake, as
it is called, a mass of liquid lava, from perhaps a
quarter of a mile in some places to four or five
hundred feet broad, the fiery mass some FIVE hum
dred feet below the ledge, swaying and surging
hither and you, like the tides of the ocean.
Thence to the flow, which had poured forth from
AZ previous 10 ~ AI6OtS ~ VIC
length of two miles or more. The force of the
eruption had subsidized for the time, but the river
of fire was still there, though it no longer ran,
and standing on the brink our tourists thrust
the ends Of their long sticks into the seething
mass and withdrew them all afame.
But time pressed. and having gratifed their
curiosity in seeing the Hawaiian Elephant-one
of the wonders of the world-the party returned
from out of this " bottomless pit, from the
neighborhood of '' the lake which burneth with
FIRE and birthstone" to the surface and terra
frma, with the feeling. which everyone experiences
after having been close to a live volcano, that
they had been singularly thoughtless of danger at
the time. For there is no telling at what no.
ment the whole treacherous bottom of the crater
may tumble in. In the presence of these partial
but mighty exhibitions of Natures concealed for
ces, man is powerless and cannot be otherwise
than serious. No wonder that here the ancient
Hawaiians located the residence of a ~vengeful
deity. But the New Dispensation has taught us
that
The dread volcano ministers to good
Is smothered flames might undermine the world
Loud tnss illuminate in love to man"
Mingled with our sense of qualification at the
D. w H1N COOb Uoc q OOAAa6 u Y
greet which will be lasting, that We could not
have tarried longer at Kilauea. AS it is, the
memory Of the brief episode will be lifelong.
We reached the Volcano House at half-past
8, having spent three hours in the crater. After
an excellent breakfast, for the enjoyment of
which the mountain air and the exercise had Civ
en- sharp appetites, we started at 10 o'clock for
the s~eashore, where, at the port of Keauhou, the
steamer was to meet and take us on board for the
return voyage, at 3 p. N. The road from Kilauea
to Keauhou is down bill, and a dreary ride over
" clinkers " and " pahoehoe - rocks. The mon
otony was somewhat relieved by a chase after
wild turkeys, of which quite a number were seen,
and two OF the party succeeded in capturing five
by running them down. Arrived at the landing
of Keauhou at fifteen minutes before 2 P. n, and
the steamer came in at 2.4O. 1t 8 O'Clock we
were under way for Mahukona direct. Little Of
the Kau district was seen before darkness inter-
vened, but the glimpse that was had of the region
about Pahala, showed things looking quite green.
Passing the great districts of Kau and Kona during
the night, the Likeike arrived at Mahukona, in
Kohala, at 4.30 on Saturday morning. Forty
minutes thereafter the excursionists were on their
way on horseback to Kohala Plantation, some
ten or twelve miles inland. After an inspection
of the works and grounds of this, one of the most
successful and well managed sugar estates in the
group, and partaking of a substantial breakfast,
the party returned to the steamer, which left for
Maalaea Cd Maui, at 1915. The channel between
the two Islands was crossed in three and a-half
hours, and after a short detention at Makee's
landing, Maalaea was reached at 6 P. N. Here
two of the party went on shore to visit the East
Maui Plantations and the irrigation works, and
those who had left us on the way up for a SINH
lar purpose came on board. Leaving Maalaea
about 7 O'Clock and touching at Lahaina for a
half an hour. we arrived at Honolulu at 5 o'clock
A. N. on Sunday morning.
The writer is assured that he speaks the uni
ted and hearty ointment of all who composed the
party of tourists to Maui and Hawaii and back 70
Honolulu, when he states that the excursion was
not only q success, in the usual acceptation of the
term, but a most enjoyable one in every particu-
lar and to Mr.. Wilder for his untiring attention
to the needs and comfort of his guests, we are
msinly indebted for that result.