The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1881-02-02
THE GREAT LAVA FLOW OF ISSG-Sl.
The Rsv. 3. P. Baker ascends to the Sum
nit of Mauna Loa.
interesting Letter of What he Saw.

Huo, January 27th 1881.
EDITOR GAZETTE - The present Mauns Loa flow
proceeds from point just east of below the ut
most summit of the mountain The various points
OF the flow are named as follows:
KAMAAxAU1oA Everlasting shoe. This is
twelve hours southwest Of Halealoha, IS on the
plateau, constituting the top of Mauna Loa; is
marked by morend c. old soorioe, in shape al
most exactly Ike the roof Of house. has been ex-
tensively supposed to be the of the present
ow, but is really the location of one of the large
vent holes through which the stream of fire re
.heves itself of Its superhnous heat
WAHA mouth. This Is four hours beyond kaa-
mamauloa, Is the point N the stream which sends
forth the left hand or southern smokes seen from
Hilo. Here the banks of the lava stream are at
such an incline and the stream itself at enc or two
points Is dashing down 10 so much sleeper inchnes
Constituting this almost literal hre-fa }, that
the spectator at Hilo, looking directly mp the
strear- beholds the surface of the flowing hre it.
self and of course when the atmosphere Is clear,
sees orIgnt light.
At one point IN this section of the fiery river the
lava dashing down steep incline. AMI then en-
counteriRg in obstacle, Is lifted up over II, Just
as flowing water swells up over hidden rock, at
this point where II Is thus up-lltted throwing OF
burning spray, which IN the form u a light seam
ann Pes's heir floats on the surface before II be-
comes spray. and Is borne aside by the wind and
falls in the adjoining bank
The stream here flows along the back bone of a
narrow ridge which drops OF 10 both tine north and
south. which the cooling lava has apparently made
US its own elevated sluice-wsy.
TEK HIPUKAAHINA, OF NOVEMBER STREAM II Is
Just at this place Waha) that the hipn kaahina or
November stream. In immense BREATH, seems 10
have made its wav. due north about halfway be-
tween Waha and Pukaoahi, the source
TIE hAU STREAM. Appears to have turned south
eriy and south-e3stery. Crossing the hAu stream.
for / assembled the south side OF the main
stream y, encountered the most terrible iOcolno-
ton imaginable. The margins OF the hau stream
were trezcherous pahoehoe. worse than the worst
a-a), while the centre OF It was likewise pahoehoe
broken into and thrown about II masses, simply
cylcopean-
PuKGuAHI, (chimney.l This is the right hand or
northern smoke, as seen from Hllo; and Is HOie
definitely settled Be the 1t Is located three
hours west of Waha, little above the present
snow line an hour or two apparently below the
summit Of Mauna Boa Maunakea bearing by
compass from il north, little vest and Hualalai,
northwest. one point north. 1t Is, deep round
hole. % 20 feet IN diameter, of depth 10 AFFORD
a falling stone three seconds TO reach the bottom.
1t is perpetIally roaring furnace, pouring up I'M
nense volumes of gas and smoke. 1t IS impossible
even on the windward side of it to obtain any clear
and direct view of the bottom, on account of the
furious heat and deadly sulphurOus fumes 1t
emits; although did catch Just one momentary
glance at the terrible readiness below. The night
of January 18th ! slept, what did Sleep, within
n few feet Of 1t the furious furnaces before me,
driving back and away the cold of the white snow
around and of the clear heavens above, and keep
ing me hot to perspiration all night.
The wind suddenly veering about four O'Clock in
the morning. we (kamai and myself, decamped
very hastily from tie side of the crater where We
we're to escape sufocation. The lava at the crater
flows at and onward, far beneath the surface.
The pahoehoe Just below and east of the crater is
cool rather than hot, while Just around the chasm
is little else than few square rods of IA The
action there Is mostly subterranean rather than
surface while mauka Is naught but the stlllnes OF
rock and snow.
Spending two or three hours there the next
morning IN melting snow by aid of a spirit-lanP
for the replenishment of our canteens, We there
upon made the best Of our way Hilo wards.
The thermometer al this point stood 30 = Just
before sunrise, water boiled at 1909. E 7. BAKER