The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-01-20
A RIVER OF FIRE.
.Scones at Mauna Loa, tho Rawann Vol
cano, Described.

Hawaiian advices to the 9th inst. are
received by the China merchant steamer
Ho Chung to-day. The Gazette gives
additional particulars about the great
eruption of Mauna Loa. 1t says: "The
view from Hilo of that outbreak upon
Mauna Loa has shown some remarkable
changes during the past week. The
flow toward Kan is diminishing. Par
ties returned from Kilauea report that
the stream is flowing very slowly and,
as seen from the Valcano House, is los
ing its FIRE day by day. Kilauea, how.
ever, is exceedingly active, presenting
unusual attractions. The most active
flow now is that running. from near the
summit Of sMauna Loa in q northerly
direction, or towards Mauna Kea.
Clouds for the greater portion of the
time have obscnred the mountains, light.
ing. however, at intervals to reveal the
sui Line fires still doing their awful work.
Saturday evening, November 20, was vero
clear, and an eruption vas observed in
three distinct cratsrs, with great flow
of molten lava running from one to
another, and one down the sides of the
mountain to the north, apparently.
Parties watching the mountain from
Hilo just at dusk noticed q sudden ;ernp-
ton Or explosion from one of these era.
tiers. An immense amount of material
was suddenly thrown several hundred
feet-into the air. Wednesday evening,
November 4, was also very clear, aud
the pyrotecnic display, which was very
magnificent, could be admired by all be.
holders. On Thursday morning the mour.
tain was clear for an hour, and revealed
through the glare that the configuration
of the dome.like surface of Mauna Loa is
much changed. Two crater.mounds Of
considerable height breaks its even front,
lying apparently two or three miles
apart. The second is northwest of the
first. A third crater, at o little greater
distance and north Of the second, was
also observed, and in all three there
seems to be great activity. At times
during the night the clouds cleared away,
revealing columns of fire and smoke, not
only papring from the three great:centres
of activity, but from the whole line.
Several parties. have gone. to the scene Of
action, and those who have returned
speak, of the flow as awful beyond de-:
seription, rolliugegrinding. and burning
eits terrible way With Irresistible force"
Just before the departure of the steamer
O heavy column of smoke aud flame on
the line of the advance seemed to indi-
cate that the flow is in the Hilo woods.
A correspondent from the field writes as
follows "Lava has flowed about twenty.
FIVE miles toward Hilo, and is now in the
neighborhood of twenty miles away. 1t
is from quarter to half mile wide at
the upper part of its course, and from
three.quarters 10 a mile wide at the
lower end. It has entered the woods on
one side, and as it rises high, about fifty.
five feet, which is specially high at this
point, its front looks threatening, though
/ did not see any portion of it in motion
at the lower end, but conclude that the
motion was at the centre and OF rotary
nature, rolling the masses of lava and
click stones to eithe. side in great piles.
AS it rushed along, increased activity at
the fountain head could be plainly
detected along the line of the flow by the
increased number of steam holes aud the
escaping smoke. saw no trees burning,
though the steam had advanced into the
upper woods"