The Hawaiian gazette., 1880-12-01
LATEST FROM MAUNA lOA
VOLCANO STILL ACTIVE

VOLCANO STILL ACTIVE
The view from Hilo of the outbreak upon Mau-
ma Loa has shown some remarkable changes during
the past week. Evidently, the flow towards Kau is
diminishing. Parties returning from Kilauea re-
port that the stream is flowing very slowly-and as
from the Volcano House is losing its fire day
by day. Kilauea, however, is exceedingly active
presenting unusual attraction.
The most active flow now is that running from
near the summit of Mauna Loa, in northerly di-
rection, or towards Mauna-kea, Clouds for the
greater portion of the time have obscured the
mountain, lifting, however, at intervals to reveal
the sublime fires still doing their awful work.
Saturday evening, November 10th, was very clear
and the eruption was observed in three distinct
craters with great flow of mother lava running
from one to another, and on down the sides of
the mountain TO the north apparently.
Parties watching the mountain from Hilo Just
at dusk, noticed sudden eruption or explosion
from one of these craters- An immense amount of
material suddenly thrown several hundred
feet into the air.
Wednesday evening was also very clear and the
pyrotechnic display which was very magnificent
could be admired by all beholders.
On Thursday morning the mountain was clear
for an hour and revealed through the glare that
the confg ration of the done-like surface of Mau-
ma Ioa is much changed.
Two crater mounds of considerable height break
its even front, lying apparently two three miles
apart the second North East of the first. third
crater at little greater distance, and north of the
second was also observed, and In all three there
seems TO be great activity.
On Friday, these three mounds have been
watched by several observers during the short
time the mountain was visible. Attimes during the
night the clouds cleared away, revealing columns
of fire and smoke, not only from the three great
centers of activity but from the whole line of the
flowing stream.
Several parties have gone to the scene of action,
and those who have returned speak of the flow as
entirely of aa-and awful beyond description,
rolling grinding and burning its terrible way with
irresistible force. Just before the departure of the
steamer the heavy columns of smoke and flare on
the line of advance seem to indicate that tie flow
is in the Hilo woods.
OF for the Lava.
Monday morning. Nov 18th, started from Hilo
in company with two natives for a weeks tramp in
search of the lava flow. We struck through the
woods mauka, and tramped all day on the flow of
55 reaching Halealoha late in the afternoon where
we camped for the night The next day we found
that we had pitched our tent with the lava flow
facing us, five miles away. Tuesday we worked
round to the southwestern slope of Mauna Kea,
and pitched our tent in mamane grove ON the
side of the last hill before reaching the Kalaeeha
sheep ranch. Here we had fine view of the
mountain and of the great plain over which the
lava had flowed. Tuesday night we could see many
assures and pits in which the lava was seen to
move toward two common centres. One assure
could be traced to the very summit, there being
series of faint lights ending in ball of fire at the
lower opening of the fssure. This whole section
seemed honey combed, as though broken shell
simply covered the molten mass. Undoubtedly
the mountain at that point is rent and sunken in
an unusual degree. flow along the side of the
mountain for about five miles toward Puma was
the finest display that night. We could see vivid
light the clouds in the direction of the Kau flow
on the other side of the mountain, and dense
columns of smoke rising from the vicinity of
Kilauea. Wednesday we took Decline for the
lava flow at the base OF Mauna Loa. 1t was
weary jaunt, over two flows, that of '43 and 55
There's nothing like an IA flow to take the pluck
and push out of man. At the nearest point,
should Judge the distance between Mauna Kea and
the lava flow to be seven or eight miles.
AS we came up to the black mass, for it had ap-
parently CONCEALED throughout its whole extent,
the sight hideous. So far could be seen
there an indescribable tumble of "a, from ten
to twenty feet high having almost perpendicular
sides, SO that it seemed ready to crash down on US
as we stood next to 1t. We succeeded In getting
on top of the flow, though VIC had TO move brisky
in some places not on account of steam or smoke
but because of dry heat that told us plainly
enough that the lava was all molten beneath u.s.
At one point we had fine view either way show
ing the direction and nature of the flow. Several
steam holes could be seen but no fire. The flow
had run down the mountain side from near the
summit in several streams, all however uniting
below. The outlet near that of '55 but toward
the south, between the two flows of '52 and 55
The direction taken with pocket compass were
as follows: Down the mountain side the stream
went nearly parallel with that of 80 that's, toward
the northeast At the base of the mountain an
abrupt turn to the southeast carried the stream
nearly or quite to that of 90 whence it turned
again to the northeast until it came to the 55 flow
again, four or five miles from Halealoha. At this
point the fresh lava mounted the old and took an
east BY north course. These directions after
wards verified from the top of Mauna Kea, and
from the makai end of the flow. Wednesday eve
ming the flow towards Puma that had been seen the
night before seemed less brilliant, and continued
to diminish after that. The pits and assures from
which the Hilo stream had flowed, however, showed
increased activity which continued up to Saturday
on our return Thursday morning at about 1
O'Clock we began the ascent of Mauna Kea. Be-
fore daylight we had some magnificent views of
Mokuaweoweo and the subsidiary crater on the
eastern slope. Two broad streams, like twin
rivers, were flowing down the mountain through
the night, not extending, however more than half
a mile when they seemed to go underground.
Evidently from the point where these streams dis
appeared were more conduits conducting
the lava TO the very front of the How This seemed
to be verified when, our return to Hllo, we had
passed Kipukaahina, found that the lava had
pushed ahead several miles, This we could not
see on the mountain the makai end of the flow
was hidden by clouds The flows of '59, '55, '52
and 43 could all be traced and the 80 seemed to
bear the same relations to the 52 and 90 that we
have indicated above.
Thursday afternoon new phenomenon ap-
peared. After our return TO camp, we saw huge
column of smoke 600 700 # high rising vertically
mile to the north of all previous points of actions.
At night, fire was seen at the base of the column,
gradually increasing in size and intensity. and on
Friday night and Saturday morning, the crater
proper and this point of eruption seemed to have
united and great lake of fire and clouds of smoke
could be seen with the center of activity moving
toward the north. / judge that new flow will
start at this point and as it is in line with the
'59 flow, though considerably above it, the proba-
bility is that it will flow toward Hualalai. Lava
flows not proper subjects for prophecy however,
and suppose they hardly come under any doc
trine of prob abilities. Friday morning we left
Mauna Kea for Hilo. We took dinner at Halealo-
ha, and found the lava flow only mile away,
while at place it probably less than half
mile from the road on which we came to Halealoha.
The lava has flowed about twenty five miles to-
ward Hilo, and is now in the neighborhood of
twenty miles away. 1t is from quarter to half
mile wide at the upper part of its course, and
from three-quarters to mile wide at the lower
end 1t has entered the woods on one side, and as
it rises high above the 55 flow which is specially
high at this point, its front looks threatening
enough. did not see any portion of it IN motion
at the lower end, but conclude that the motion was
at the center, and of rotary nature, rolling the
masses of "a and clink-stone to either side in
great piles it rushed along. l found ohia trees
not more than ten feet high with the stalk buried
in the while the foliage had not lost its natural