Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1880-01-22

the lake, whose banks alone we see,
seeming nearer all the time. But how
slowly we get away from those tall cliffs
behind usl Stepping down from one
cake to another, piece of "aa," fiat
and sharp as knife, goes through my
shoe as though it were paper, and
lodges fast in my foot. 1t is the work of
more than moment to get it out, and
it leaves pain after it,
The lake, on nearer approach, at
least the spot where the smoke is rising,
seems to be on an elevation; and, as
we 90 up, we wonder what our sensa-
tions will be when at last we reach a
point from which we can view the whole
thing. A mile back, our guide had
kindled our excitement by running like
a madman to a hillock that was un-
usually black and glistening, and which,
on inspection, proved to be decidedly
warmer than anything else we had
seen. ETt
"This was last night" he said, with
face beaming. Now he leads across
assures that are multiplying about us,
and from which steam and hot air pour
forth. This place looks as though it
might vomit liquid lava any moment
Here we teeter on broad cake, that,
so far as we know, may in q second s
time sink with us into an abyss whose
tossings and splashings we imagine we
hear below us. / hear what sounds
like the sea madly booming in deep
cavern. hear a Sizing noise pro-
longed and multiplied. The swash of
breakers, and the spattering of cloud
of spray, and the grinding and crack
ing of river breaking up in spring,
are sounds which become more distinct
at each step. The heat becomes in
tense. All the way the sun has shone
with steady glare, and its rays have
been sent back from the glass-like floor
into our faces. But now the heat is of
that dry, parched nature which almost
burns to ones bones. Hotter and still
hotter it comes in great waves. Louder
and louder are the sounds so strangely
mixed. A report deep as of cannon
is followed by the rattle of musketry,
Just then we jump, run few steps to
the left, and Lake Halemauman, "the
house everlasting" comes into full
view.
The first sensation is one of disap-
pOintment. The sounds continue in all
their variety; at the farther end is
red-hot cave, into which the lava booms
and splashes, and from whose roof
hang numberless orange-colored stall
actites, just in process of formation,-
the ends of the larger ones anon bathed
in the ebbing and flowing lava, and
dripping like melted icicles. To the
right is an island whose sides are mark
ed by hvid line at the point of CON
tact with the surface of the lake. Be-
hind this island there seems to be un-
usual activity; and the surface, all mol
ten, heaVes like pillows, and, dashing
against the walls which inclose the
lake, spatters them with drops. The
surface of the lake is as immobile as
rocky plain The clouds of smoke and
gas drive ceaselessly toward the south.
But where fs the turbulent sea of fire
that l promised myself should see? l
am about commiserating myself on
having chosen an inauspicious time
for visit to the crater, when crack!
and seam opens clear across the lake,
out of which oOzes q yellowish-red |
liquid that has much the consistency of
boiling molasses. This cOols rapidly, |
leaving ridge of q dark hue, which in
a few moments becomes black. This
rapidity with which liquid lava con-
geals is a constant surprise. Only a
few moments after flowing by a given
point it can be safely walked on, the
stream continuing to flow a few inches
the only drawback being
The heat, which is not so great, how
ever, as one would expect, Our guide
assures us that the lake never remains
.ong the same; and so we are not sur
prised to see the activity increase.
Over toward the cave, into which the
ava is fercely throwing itself, fountains
begin playing, hobbing around like
Jeals in water. The whole surface be-
rims to move, the cracks multiply, and,
ike an iron tide, the current sets in be-
lind the island-fOuntains playing now
Vt many points over the rapidly-chang-
ng surface. This motion sends the
ava of South Lake in through narrow
trait which connects the two, and Hale
nauman begins to rise. The current
cts with greatvolume and force toward
he island, crowds the narrow channel,
lalts q moment, and tips one-third of
he island into the lake. 1t is like the
of an iron-clad. Liquid
ongues Of lava leap over it as it goes
Inder, and the mighty current moves
N.
At these times of special commotion
We notice thousands Of thread-like OBJ
ects glistening like filaments of glass
s they float in the air. Our guide
tolidly remarks, "Pele's hair" We
ecure some in crevice near by, and
10 not wonder that the natives gave it
he name it bears, deeming it, as they
nee did, the hair of their tabled god
ess. 1t has been torn out by the roots,
o to speak, as at the end of each hair
here is a small jet bulb, This product
I the fires is sometimes carried score
r more of miles in the air before being
eposited. We have to handle it very {
as it penetrates the skin like {
needle, and breaks off in the flesh
Ike a small splinter of wood.
We work our way halfway round the |
Ike, getting a new view with every t
hange of position, until we get tolera- .