The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1881-08-03
ThsLava r7ow

We publish below, extracts from letters We have
received about the Lava Flow. The progress this
last week DOES not seem 10 have been very rapid,
still II has been progress, and the fiery monster
seems to be slowly, but surely, making its way to
wards what, in all probability. Is q doomed town.
Tho distance Of the Lava Flow from the sea has
at last been accurately measured, as will be seen
by our second extract. This Ia by far the largest
flow, in time that has ever occurred in she memory
of man. By the bye, friend Of ours informs Us
that the Advertiser is erroneous in his statement
about the length of time that the IS and 80 flows
ran: the former ran months. and the latter Is
weeks. Our informant is a resident on Hawaii, 50
we presume his correction is Just, but We have not
had time to verify it, we will look it up for next
week
Extract from private letter, dated Hilo, July
esth, 1881.
Last Monday. the a5th instant the distance from
the end of the kukunu flow 20 the sea was chained
of. Il measured one chain less than two and one
quarter miles TO the sea, straight course by com
pass, and came out by the old residence OF the
Governess Lnka by the shore.
On Tuesday Of this week ,26th instant) we took
our tent, and went up as family, to camp out,
and see the grand sight Of night view. We found
Mr.. and Mrs c. going up, and asked them II they
would like 20 join as, which they were glad 20 do.
We sent E., f., and X. ahead with pack animals,
and they made good selection of site for the
tent, and when +. and l arrived after o'clock
p ~ the tent was all pitched. II was on hill
overlooking the How, only few feet distant, and
] took in a range Of a mile or more, and when the
night shut IN, the whole distance was lighted up
with the volcanic fires, with burning bushes, and
trees, and grass to add 10 the variety IL was the
most fearful sight ever witnessed, and with the
frequent explosive reports like cannon, It needed
/ only an earthquake to upset me entirely. The
sight Is heightened ten thousand-fold by night Tor
liuhf Il where only smoke
is seen by day. 1t would take migktier pen than
mine to describe it.
One very wonderful thing is the sight of shower
/ Of rain on the hot lava. 1t struck me rs wonder
full because the effect is different in the shades
/ OF the clouds of smoke. One will be as black as
darkness itself. then another OF lighter shade, or
shades, down 30 the cearest purest white. Inc
effect of this is astonishing, and after The cloud IS
lifted, everything fire seems to act almost spite
full in bursting out afrsh with brighter light and
/ greater speed rushing ON, hames tapping up the
/ drops of water as If only heightened by IL; i1u
| can imagine anything. Flames dance out IN the
/ distance by groups or singly, and could hardly
| think of anything but internal spirits beckonlng
and dancing, and rushing, tanning themselves
/ with flame.
Lights Of deepest red are mingled with blue
| green and white, flashing sometimes like lightning
| Fortunately for there was a strong land breeze
/ all night. which kept us free from the fumes
/ though occasionally did smell sulphur. Our tent
was so secure there was no need to move away dur
/ inc the night. We had frequent showers, but dld
not suffer from dampness.
We could not see the end Of the How and did not
learn how far it progressed during the night; but
it was active all over bursting out and flowing on
itself over and again, piling up and hling IN
The day we came down "Wednesday, 2Ith) thert
was great outbreak at John Halls place, Inc
children stayed to take down the tent, and they
said there were three reports like thunder before
/ they came down, in that direction. MIR. ). and
others went right up there, and saw the whole spot
rise up and then burst out, flowing all around from
I eI,a s.,fr alfuu "A Kind nf crater there.
This John Hall is the only one as yet that has
/ lost his home by the lava; but he Is man oil
much heathenism, believing in old traditions--u
| sort of kclunA lie had put mp hags around hi.
place and said that Pele would not dare to pass
those but he has been obliged to leave, though he
stayed 50 long it was almost feared he would bt
| swallowed up. II does seem strange that that spo
| should be the centre of so much activity.
The following is from the pen of a gentleman
Just returned from the flow:
Probably no two persons will agree in their esti-
mates of the distance between the end of the lava
] low and the sea. Nor would they be likely to
agree as to how far the liquid lire must travel be-
fore it would reach Hilo 2 One point has beer
definitely ascertained, by taking the measurement
from the end of the how to the beach, which was
found to be two and one-sixth miles. This meas
urement held good only for the day on which 4
was made, MONDAY 26th,l as the lava continued
| to move onward though not very fast, on tuesday
| there was but little action at the end of the flow
| But further up, perhaps a mile and-a-han above
1 the place known as John Halls, there was seen
| very large column of steam or smoke, several per
sons went up to ascertain. The cause they repor
is new out-burst which had taken place, anC
/ which seemed to be throwing out stream OF law
at least ten feet in width which ran very rapidly
1 Thusday morning this low had reached {
point below the ravine near John Halls. From
the deck of the steamer Likslike could be seen th
| smoke arising from the source crater, which to
gether with the various streams issuing from th
main flow, all showed unmistakable signs of IN
creased action.