The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-12-23

An extra OF the Hawaiian Gazette
Of November 18th gives an account
of the eruption of the volcano Mauna
Loa, exceeding in volume any ever
before known on the island. The
grand outburst of fire is described as
follows: 1t broke out about P. NJ,
on Friday, November 9Th, about six
miles norIh of the summit crater of
Mokuaweowco on Mama Loa, and
flowed the elevated plateau lying
between Mauna Loa and kea, send
ing out two branches, one from near
its source toward the old crater of
Kilauea, and another branch further
down, tending toward the east. On
Wednesday, November 1lth, the flow
could be seen distinctly from Hilo,
winding its way toward Puma, with
q small branch stream running to-
ward Hilo. The stream running tc-
ward Puma was about thirty miles i'll
length, and from 100 to 200 Yards in
width, with depth of about twenty
feet. A correspondent ofthe Gazette
accompanied a party to view the
grand sight, and they climbed the
mountain side. Soon, he says, as the
fog gradually cleared off the sides of
the mountain, we saw tremendous
river of fire pouring down the steep
sides. We could see distinctly down
the slope, till it ran into the fog bank,
which had settled like a huge snow
bed all over the low lands. The fire
was an intense white light, and was
running furiously downward. They
then went toward Puma TO see the
molten river by night, AID, he adds,
the moon set, and still it was light
enough to see to read. Away above us
in the heavens shone the brilliant
fountain head, and thence to the end
was a continuous stream of liquid
lava. There lay river of fire be-
meath us at least thirty miles long,
envery inch of which was one bright
rolling tide of fire. There was not n
single break in the whole length.
The whole front edge, being about
three fourths of mile wide. was
most intensely brilliant light, and as
it slowly advanced and rolled over
the small trees and scrub, bright
flames would flash up and die out
along Its whole edge. Then there
were giant explosions, vast and ter
rible, as if the earth was being shat
tered by earthquakes, and all at once
Q huge dome of molten lava was
thrown up about half way up the
mountain side, and continued to flow
over like an immense fountain. The
next day the party crossed the old
lava beds for about 1000 feet. Not
twenty feet distant was this immense
bed Of lava slowl V moving forward
with irresistible force, bearing on its
surface huge rocks and immense
powders oftons weight The whole
front edge was one bright red mass
Of solid rock necessarily breaking off
from the towering mass and rolling
down to the foot of it, to be again
covered up by another avalanche of
white-hot rocks and sand. The mass
WAS at its front edge from twelve
to thirty feet in height. Along the
line of its advance it was one crash
Of rolling, sliding, tumbling red hot
rock. We could see no fire or liquid
lava at all, but the whole advance
line of red-hot stones and scoria.
There were no explosions while we
were near the flow, only q tremend-
Gus roaring like ten thousand blast
furnaces all at work at once. Some
fears Of the safety of Hilo are still en-
tertained, but the flow seems turning
In another direction. A fountain of
liquid lava. A correspondent of the
Honolulu Press, writing from Hilo,
November 18th, says: "Thc sight on
Saturday was indescribably grand.
All day, with or without the glass,
our eyes were turned toward the
mountain. A fountain ofliquid lava
was pouring up from the summit
line of Mauna Loa. Tm fiery streams
were distinctly visible coursing down
its side, one toward MaUna Kea, the
other nearer Hilo. At night the sky
was a glare of light that made objects
distinctly visible in the streets and
in our rooms. Wednesday night the
sight of the mountain was most glo-
rious. The broken clouds lying
aroud the summit sides were irradi-
sted and shone in wonderful SPLEEN
dor. The force ofthe eruption seems
now diminishing"