Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-09-10
THE LAVA FLOW AND KILAuEA.
a tramp Over tho Lnva-Ride to tho Vol
cnno- Ha1emaumau and the New Lake.

io'h uit', when the steamer Jikeffke with several
hundred passengers on board-visitors TO sec the
lava flow and parties summoned to attend Court
came to anchor in the harbor of Uilo We had
been informed by people who came aboard at Pa
nuhan ana Laupahoehoo the night before, that
there mad been no activity at the source of the
flowing completely. As we could smell the sulphur
fumes from the lava quite plainly, and could dis
tlnguish the course of the stream by the columns
of steamarisng from it, we hoped to sec some of
the smaller branches still alive but on landing we
were greeted with tho news that the flow was make
ioa For the sake Of the good people possessing
property threatened by the flood of fire, we re-
joiced ut the news, but for our own sakes we re.
GREETED chat IL did not move few rods further
only enough to let us SEQ chow tho thing was
done" Several parties however, walked or rode
up to see the blackened corpse which was still
warm We had often heard that Hilo was famous
for its rainfall and its muddy streets; We will not
stop IN some pond Or d-hole on the way to deny
the charge, but will proceed onward to the lava
How. We reached the end of the main body,
about mile from the town, at n place where u
small stream of steaming hot water escaped from
our party stopped to feel the water and were con-
WINGED beyond a doubt that it was as hot as it
looked.
The front rank of this vast mass of coal black
lava was grand even in death. And though dis
appointed in not seeing 1t in the liquid state, we
1elt repaid for our trip from Honolulu. AS we
walked over the surface of tho flow, IL was warm
beneath our feet, and in some places 1t was too
warm for us to remain standing. Large, irregular
SNAPPED cones were scattered over the surface of the
How, some entire and many cracked into thou
sand fragments looking like piles of black stones
thrown carelessly together. Seams and crevasses
extended in all directions. Steam or heat was
continually rising from them and sulphur was de-
posted on the edges of many Small trees and
ferns on the sides of the flow were still smoking
and the trunks of several auhala trees were lying
on the lava, the leaves still green number of
them We came upon several patches of ground |
In the flow near the sides, where the grasses and
ierns were still green and growing. At the front
f,,,t, tua bod g.
two IN advance but along the sides the green ferns
can often be seen hanging the lava The |
mass was still cracking, and n number of times we
heard slight explosions followed by rafting of
broken rock and the opening of new crevasses.
. AS we travelled along upon the body of the flow,
1t seemed to be growing hotter with each step. 1t
would be impossible to describe the many forms
assumed by the lava-coils of twisted rope, short
flights of stone stairways, long hollow tubes, round
globes-some solid, some only mere shells, and
other queer forms of many shapes and sizes. AS
cending little ridge hill, we noticed that the
lava stream had descended from the mountains
into wide valley, and had flowed over the hill
1t must have formed lake, had their been no es-
cape and run over the top to get to the sea, but
the liquid fusion from Mauna Loa, encased in its
crust of cool exterior lava. pursued its way in
viaduct of its own formation, and had the same
appearance when crawling up hill as when running
down. There are number of vent holes in the
how the first one about mile from the end, where
the red-hot lava could be seen. The heat was SO
intense that we could not approach noar to the
hole except on the windward side. There are sew
eral of these places a few miles further up tn |
How, and in one the molten lava could be seen |
slowly moving, but as there was no action any
where at the sides or end of the flow, il was prob
ably only small stream flowing in channel be-
meath the crust
10 look at this vast body of lava which had been
for nine months, one could hardly
reaIlze that 1t all came from crater the side
OF Mauna Loa forty miles distant. It's course !
could be traced upwards into the mountains until |
lost in the clouds, and when it was raining on the
Nv. NIL hae
ing, for 1t was still quite hot and the nearer the |
FOUNTAIN source one approached, the greater the |
heat was found To be. After the flow from the new |
crater ceased, the crater of Kilauea became unusu-
ally active, and party of four, including tho |
writer, who were determined to liquid lava il it
was to be seen, decided to visit Madame Pele in
her old home. AS SO much has been written about
the lava flow, before and after its DEATH we will |
leave the matter here.
On the morning of the Goth of August, mounted
on four noble steeds, our little cavalcade filed out
OF Hilo, and following the advice of the lamented
Horace Greedy, went west. The road for some
miles had lately been repaired by the addition of
the distance was to solid ground rs the legs of our
animals were not long enough to measure by. We
allowed our horses little rest every opportunity
by leaving the road and allowing them TO climb
over the rocks and work their way through the tall
grass 1t was with sigh of relief that we reached
the woods and good road about SIX miles from
Hiio: The ride through this dense tropical forest
was interestingly it was unlike any other forest we
had ever before seen, and source of perpetual
delight until We emerged from the other side on to
another long stretch of muddy road. After a toll
some crawl for some miles through the slush, wc |
reached the hard lava rock. Our sure-(pretty |
sure) footed beasts seemed to know this was the |
rate with very little urging. We reached the Vol
cano House about five o'clock, making tho Journey
in eight and half hours, not including stoppage
OF over an hour at the Half Way House, to lot our
horses feed We found here every convenience |
that we could desire, and found Mr.. Lentz 10 be |
the most accommodating of landlords. Here we |
four young men from Honolulu who had made the |
journey on foot. They had tent, at tho peak of
which hung the American flag; and over the door
way were the words volcano or bust"
The crater, near whose brink tho Volcano House
Is situated first engaged our attention The whole
Of the vast circular pit, nine miles in crcumfer-
itilo. Near the center is the new lake now SO ac-
tive, and close by IL old Halemaumau also very ac-
i've. As 1t began to grow dark, tho Goddess Pele
stirred up the fires and illuminated her home.
Clouds of steam hung over Haemaumau and tho
new lake, and the reelection of the fires below ON
these overhanging curtains made most beautiful
no moon, and As Il grew darker, every varying
shade OF light became more distinct. Occasionally
the seething fusion in the new crater would surge
against the surrounding lava cliff, and be hurled
upward into the air TO SO great hight that We
Dould see every drop of the fiery spray from our
place OF observation, two and ahalf miles distant.
display until the cool night air drove us In beside
The cheerful wood lire in tho old -fashioned fire.
place. Here we amused ourselves reading over tho
Volcano House register, In two volumes, which has
been kept since 1868 Mr.. Ientz had copies of n
number OF the most interesting accounts written
IN the first volume, and presented them 70 the
writer. The greater part Of these will appear in
futnre numbers of the SATURDAY Pass.
The next morning about eight o'clock our party,
now eight in number under the leadership Of Mr..
a. koback the guide. descended into the orator.
Tho trail leading 10 the lava-bed passes through |
patches OF trees ferns and grasses the greater part
VI the way. When reached the lava, we pro-
'eeded directly toward the new lake. When we
got on to tho hot lava marched in single flo, tho
guide leading. The lava bed is about 625 feet be-
low the top OF the crater at present and tho top
The banks Of the new lake IL about l5O feet above
the bed OF the lava. As We approached the boiling
lake, the lava over which We walked looked fresh
and was quite hot. Steam and heat and sulphur
fumes arose from number Of cracks, but the
greatest heat was from the boiling lake, upon
whose brink We were soon standing II was about
! zoo feet in diameter. When we first arrived the
surface was covered by thin black crust, the
liquid lava being along tls edge, near the banks,
where 1t rolled IN waves, dashing up on the cold
lava, and roaring like tho oceans surf. Presently
the crust began to crack IN all directions and great
waves of the huid mass rose up like immense scr
psnts, and swallowed huge cakes Of the black and 1
hardened crust Fire fountains began " play at
different places near the center Of the lake. II
would bubble and boil Tor while and then toss up
great masses Of the liquid fire. The whole sur