The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-01-14

give DIS patrons the Dement'S OF 0il
activity. The lumber. shingles. etc..
OF which il is built. were ali packed
| up the mountain on mulee. About
the frat thing that demands some
satisfaction is to know whether 9
person is standing on safe ground,
Tor the etesm Is escaping on
ell sides; even the hotel is
almost enveloped In steam, and With
caution ] moved about. This sui
phur stesm escaping from holes IN
the ground. gathers upon the ehrubs
around and gives them a frosted ap-
pesrsncs. These are breathing holes
OF the burning mass below, and are
large enough to take IN an OK, and
not unfrequently cattle disappear and
are loaf in the gulf below. These
take the place OF the ancient Gus
toms Of the natives who threw swine
into the burning mass to sppease the
anger of Madame PeIe. Mr.. Lentz
informs me that he has offered up. or
rather down. about fifty head OF cattle
during the last few months, and still
he has failed to sa.iste the gluttonous
appetite OF the old lady.
NIGHT VIEW OF THE GREAT ERUPTION.
Mauna Loa summit is 10000 feet
above the Klloea orator, where
stand, and would require two days
hard toll to reach it. 1t has dome
shaped appearance, and when the
clouds passed of from its summit the
two immense craters, now active,
presented a grandeur indescribable.
rhe one nearest the summit appears
like 9 round volume OF FIRE and
smoke penetrating hundreds OF feet
into the air; the oi-er is longitudinal,
with the ridge in The direction of
Hilo, and must be at least one mile
long This one seems to be much
more active than the former, ant
emits fire and smoke with such
mighty force as TO eend it far into the
air. The lava is not flowing down
the mountain 30 freely ct present as
it did some weeks ago. A. that time
there were three streams rolling
down, ooursing in different directions
towards the sea, like water down q
mountain after the bursting of a
cloud. The one which came in the
direction OF Kilosa has ceased to
flow. but the dark stream hangs upon
the side, Of the mountain like q black
serpent. The main flow has been,
snd-still continues, into the fats, or
valley, between Msuna Loa and
Mauaa Kea, where it formed an Ina
mense lake, from which two stree ms
led o1, one in the direction of Hilo
and the other in the direction Of
Kau. The sluggishness OF these
streams at present produces no fear
in the inhabitants, unless they find
subterraneous passes, and finally
break out near the coast. The crater
OF Klioes, az seen from crater house
on the night of the 9sh inst. / am
willing to Say is beyond the power OF
man TO describe. The fireworks con-
tinually going on, present their most
fantastic freaks at night, Illuminating
the dark pit below and presenting 8
grandeur of exquisite beauty. The
crater is 700 feet deep and about
three miles oy two miles in size, the
greater distance being from north to
south. The principal erupiions are
now going on in the south end OF the
crater. The bottom of this crater has
the appearance OF a level black plane
surrounded With dark, irregular, per-
pendiculsr walls 700 feet high. Three
grand pits or lakes emit flames aud
smoke. and it ia from these that the
grand Nominations are produced in
the heavens. while in the crater be.
meath our feet lurid lights flicker into
the dark corners, bringing up re-
membraDce OF the scriptursl doom OF
the sinner-the lake of FIRE and brim-
stone. Tracing along the crater
on the right back TO where We
stand, a prairie on fire is beautifully
illustrated, this lava oozing up
through assures in the old flow and
forming a new bed.
My rest was not disturbed by any
unfriendly dream such as Mark
Twain had while here, and
which be recorded in the hotel
book; but il was very refreshing,
the atmosphere being delightful.
| On the following morning with guide,
stick and canteen OF pure cool water
We began the decent into this wonder
ful hoe in the mountain and l con-
fess nothing but bravery and daring
propensity persuaded me to go on,
for l have always had an eversion to
| delving IN the lower regions of the
earth By going into large or small
holes; but / was lured on, no doubt,
very much like the sinner. who com.
mits acts that finally launches him
into the eternal pit. With this ex
ception l had no remorse of con.
science, for l was bresking no law OF
command. Well, down l went on g
serpentine path reaching from one
, stage or terrace to another until
stood upon the bottom of the dark
valley below. Our native guide, 6
nymph OF the volcano. q boy of II
t years, led the way dArtiug from ont
3 point To another.
The bottom now OF The orator, pre-
sents very different appearance Il
what it did while standing at th'
: Orator house. To the reader who hs
!, ever been Upon the ocean, he car
: have no better illustration than tha
= which the sea presents alter std
j gale with the exception OF the black
? ness of the lava. This swelling, rol
! ling, black mass 10 broken into Is
1 sares, seams and cracks and in place
blistered up forming thin cone
o shaped crust which. when steps
!, upon, gives way and you think yol
d are of again for the lower regions
!. great care being necessary to svoil
i dropping into fed4hot lava below
e v len often runs bat few inche
o beneath the cTnsted surface. 1h
d fidetua ting prices in shoe leather
,f someShst governed by the number c
q visitors to this leather grinding nos
= chine.
d As We passed along towards th
ii burning lakes / noticed sabs:auc
I flying through the air which the guild
q told me Wss Madam Pele's hair, an
J. thinking she might be having littl
Il roE with the Eymphs of the pit "
Ie redoubled our speed and soon stoo
Of upon the. edge of q molten lake {
IS FIRE 500 by 200 yards in extent sn
% 100 feet deco from where We stood