The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-04-03

dies or lights at night were in conse-
oueuce rendered useless or unnecessary.
Rev. Mr.. Lyons in his description says
that "when the torrent, one mile wide,
reached the ocean, the scene assumed a
character Of terrific and indescribable
grandeur. The magnificence OF destruc-
ton was never more forcibly dis
played than when these antagonistic
elements met in deadly strife. The
mightiest of earth's magazines OF fire
poured forth its burning pillows to
meet the mightiest Of oceans. For two
score miles it came rolling, tumbling,
swelling forward, an awful agent OF
death and destruction. Rocks melted
like wax in it's path; forests cracked
and blazed before its fervent heat; the
very hills were lifted from their pr1-
meval beds, then sank beneath its tide
or were borne onward by its waves; the
works of man were to it as but a scroll
| in the flames; nature shriveled and
tumbled before its irresistible flow.
Imagine Niagara above the falls con
verified into dashing, whirling madly
hmryins torrent of fire plunging its
gory-hued river of frey minerals; the
wreck of creative matter blazing and
disappearing beneath its surface; vol
umes of kissing steam arising; smoke
curling upward from ten thousand vents,
which give utterance to as many deep
toned mutterings, and sullen confined
and ominous clamorings, as if the spirits
of fallen demons were struggling against
their final doom; gases decorating and
shrieking as they burst from their pms
on houses; the heavens lurid with flames;
the atmosphere dark, turbid and oppres-
sive; the horizon murky with vapors and
cleaning with the reflected contest.
while cave and hollow as the hot air
would sweep along their heated walls
throws back the unearthly sounds in
myriad of prolonged echoes Such was
the scene as the fiery cataract, leaping
precipice of fifty feet, poured its flood
upon the ocean. The old line of coast,
a mass of compact, undurated lava,
whitened, cracked and fell; the water re-
coiled and sent forth tempest of spray;
then foamed and dashed around and
over the melted rock, then boiling with
the heat: the roar of the conflicting
agencies grew fierce and louder; the re-
port of the exploding gases could be dis
tlnctly heard distance of twenty-five
miles not unlike the discharge of whole
broadsides of artillery; streaks of intense
light glanced like lightning in all direc
tions, the outskirts of the burning lava as
it fell, cooled by the shock was
shriveled and shivered into millions of
fragments and boure aloft by strong
breezes blowing toward the land, and
scattered in scintilating showers far into
the country. For three successive weeks
the volcano disgorged an uninterrupted
burning tide, with scarcely any diminu-
ton, into the sea, whichc on either side for
20 miles became heated, and with such
rapidity that on the second day after the
junction fishes came ashore in great
numbers at Keau, fifteen miles distant.
Six weeks later the sea at the bottom of
the hills continued scalding hot, and sent
forth steam at every wash of the waves.
ERUPTION OF 1868.
The ninth and last eruption of Mauna
Loa occurred March p, 1868,
when about $50 A. NJ, dense column
of smoke was observed to rise in one
vast pillar to the height of several miles,
directly over the summit at 10 A.
NJ. on the 2Sth, series of earthquakes
began which continued at various inter-
walls for over month. AT Kona, fifty
or sixty miles distance 400 were felt
in a single day; at Kau over three hun
bred in the same time; near the crater of
Kilauea it is said the earth was in a
constant culver for days together. These
earthquakes continued to increase in
severity until April End when, at 4 P.
NJ, one occurred which shook down
every stone wall and nearly every stone,
frame and matched house throughout
Kau, and did great damage to every Sec
ton of Hawaii while it was felt
seriously in the Islands of Maui,
Mulokai, Oahu and Kauai, the latter
being 800 miles away. Every church
but and was destroyed in Kau. Persons
were thrown from their feet, and also
were horses and other animals. Judge
&c E.rcx <ha aov-xh