The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-12-05
MELTING MAUNA LOA.
Fifty Miles of Molten Lava,

From the HaUaiian Gazette, printed
at Honolulu, We have learned many
particulars of the great eruption o
the volcano OF Mauna Los, on tn,
Island Of Hawaii. 1t appears tina
the eruption of lava ia one of tbs
mos. imposing, on account Of it,
extent and grandeur, that has been
known in recent times. Before de.
scrlbing the scenes OF sublimity that
we're witnessed by some of the eye.
witnesses OF the eruption, We will
state that loss of life Oh OF property is
not likely to occur, as the food OF
lava is over a barren country withou'
Inhabitants, and the immense mas.
of lava moves along so s~luggishly
hat there is ample time to avoid it.
The new eruption broke out on the
9th OF November, about six miles
north Of the summit crater of Mauna
Loa, the lava flowed down to the
elevated plateau lying betwenn
Mauna Loa and Kes, sending out two
branches, one from near its source
toward. an old crater known as
kilaues, aud another branch further
down, ten ling toward the east. Uu-
less some change Of direction of the
molten mass occurs, there does not
appear to be any danger to those who
live in the inhabited parts of the
island. The sight is q very grand
one-a stream of molten lava, some
fifty miles in length, terminating in a
lake of fire on an elevated plateau
many miles in extent. Exoursionists
visiting the island are we'll repaid for
a trip to the scene Of the outbreak,
ss from certain points indicated TO
strangers, a grand panoramic birds
eye view Of the whole exhibition is
obtained without any danger what
ever to the observer.
IL appears that the interval between
the outbursts OF volcanoes ia these
islands are some ten or twelve years.
Toe crater of this eruption appears to
be located between the eruptions of
1855 aud 1850, as laid down ou the
new government map. From I'M of
the old beds of lava, now q mass OF
solid rock, the present river OF rock can
be approached so as to gezs upon the
fiery mass slowly moving with ire
sisible force hesving on its surface
high rocks and immense boulders of
tons weight, as water would carry &
toy boat. The whole from. of the
bright red mass Of solid rock inces-
breaking of from the surging
mass, row tower upwards and
again rolling down, 10 be covered up
by another avalanche OF white hot
rocks and sand. 1t is said by some
who observed these phenomena that
mo liquid lava @-s visible, but the
whole advance wa enc of red hot
stones and scoria.'
To US, who live in a region once the
theatre OF volcanic e~ruption1, and
even now visit d at times by shocks
of earthquakes, it is interesting TO
read these descriptions of phenomena
attendant upon active volcanoes. To.
many VI lu6 dEGu lBuhDlttubo VI llC
IsIan1s these terrific out-
bursts are looked upon with great az
hension; the gods of the volcanoes
are angry, and their Indignation is
made apparent by visible manifesta-
tions OF fiery wrath. One OF the
tabled dieties is PeIe, who is the pre-
siding goddess of volcanoes; the
"Pele's Hair" so we'll known to
tourists who visit the Islands, lie
the fbrous lava blown into
threads 10y the winds as the lava
flows from the volcanoes. We have
in this country substances analogous
to the Pele's Hair. formed by the
OF our smelling furnaces. As to
scOris, lava, pumlce and volcanic
these mountains abound in
this entire region vas at one
time the scene OF eruptions, as g
evidenced BY the numerous craters OF
now extinct volcanoes.