New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-02

tain be obtained. Thick rain.clouds obscured it as
completely as though there had never been noun
tain in that quarter. But on Wednesday, NQyember
10. the parting of the clouds revealed state Of
| great activity. The lava flowing at the same
point but the congealing process had formed crust
broken here and there, under which the molten cur
| rent was relentlessly moving downward. At the
openings in the crust the liquid lava, heated white
hot, could be seen like the streaming lights of a
| nighttra moving rapidly on ths down grade. The
crater was intensely active, and a most brilliant
light rose from that side of the mountain toward
Kau, the slope on which Kilaues ia situated. 1t
afterward learned that large flow had run down
| the mountain on that side for distance of thirty
miles. Curious reports came as to the probable des-
tnation of this tiow One was that it was flowing
! directly toward the Volcano House at Kilauea; and
another that it was falling bodily over the pail
walls of the crater on to the floor of Kiauea.
TRIP TO THE SCENE OF PERIL.
No authentic information had thus far been gained
as to the location and condition of the flow toward
Hllo The trip was one that no one would under
take unless influenced by very strong motives. Not
only did it mean hardship to man and beast but it
meant cutting away from a base of supplies 1t
was, therefore, with good deal of interest that
Hilo people awaited my return from the land OF
wonders, some prophesying before my return
that trouble would overtake me, and nearly all
manfesting good degree Of sOcitude as to my
welfare.
Monday morning, November IS, after the erup-
ton had been in progress for ten days, left llilo
for the seat Of action. had two natives for conf
paniOns one serving guide aud the other as
helper, and my faithful horse Grit bore all our
cessaries bis back Our stock consisted of tent.
blankets. dried Opeusa Ia species of mackere hard
bread few canned meats and some medicines. We
|
plunged, literally for the mud was so deep and the
bog-hOles so frequent that my horse could hardly
get through This one place was the only point for
many miles through which it was possible to pene-
trate the woods, owing partly to the mud
and partly to the jungle of tropical vegeta-
ton. However, we emerged at last and
found ourselves the celebrated flow of 1855, the
one which had threatened IillO with destruction.
Here we filled our canteenS, for we had hot hard
tramp of nearly fifteen miles before over lava
bed that had neither grass nor water anywhere on
it. Here the lower forms of vegetation were at
work softenng the surface and preparing the way
for the higher forms. And yet, after twenty-five
years. this hard surface feeds only few ferns
and dwarf Ohia here and there. grayish white
lichen, looking like curly wool, covers the surface
Here we found mammoth trunk of tree that
had withstood the march of the lava
The molten stream had flowed all sides
and ignltcd but not consumed it before
the lava had congealed and then all burned below,
this trunk had fallt the cooled crust, leaving
deep hole. into which we peered without seeing the
bottom. The rapidity with which lava cools was
forcibly shown IN the fact that while the lower
portion of the tree was burned it left behind 1t
mould very nearly approximaing to the circumfer-
ence of the tree, while. without doubt. the lava was
flowing past this point for months afterward. The
rays of the sun they came to our faces from the
radiating surface of the lava were fierce enough
There are two kinds of lava and the native names
are as good as any. That which flows along
smoothly like q liquid. and is really the
trne lava. is called pahoehoe; the rough.
scraggy scoria, that looks like so much
Stag from q smelling furnace. is IA. Our
road ne 1t ran along the pahoehoe was rea-
sopebly fair, but Whenever we struck the IA II was
tedious enou9h. Nothing like 1t can be IMAGINED.
IL wears the horses shoes rapidly as grndst0ne
does soft bladed knife MY horses feet we're drop
ping blood at every step from the cuts above his
hoofs. Again and again my natives had to call n
halt TO repair damages to their kamas-a sort of
dal made OF stout rawhide or old hard leather And
nv stout, thick .soled walking SHOES were last
grinding down to the uppers, though rode part of
the way. 1t was truly "a weary land" without
1.-THE shadow of a great rock 70 screen us from the
tOrrld rays of q midday troplc sun. Acres OF %
law above lis in their own peculiar and hOrrd con-
fusion Jagged points ready to STAB ana sharp cages
ready to cut; lance, and battle-ax ana trident
onIv i'm one of her ugliest moods could devise And
could we hope to scale 1t I Boldly we adVance,
when sudden detour takes us fignt .nrouHn 'ns
the welcome woods. where are water ana grass ana
wood and rest. This Is Haleaoha, or lne hnuse VI
Love and a hut for travellers has been erected Ill
th,s cool and grateful spot. We seemed 10 he under
the very wing OF Mauna Kea, which lowered above
us I'D solemn Ho tban MSuna Loa and was
tLe MONT from which expected to make my 0bser-
yations, Here slept with our great campfire
tnf tha TACT lnI
laya-d,'w was creeping straight toward w, only
four or five miles away -,
The next morning ne pushed on tnrougn me
woods up and along the slope OF tue Mauna kea
until we reached good camping, ground III
namane grove, 1000 ieet above sea Level, on spur
Of the mountain, directly across from the lres on
Wauna Lol. Here had a ine command OF the
great interior slope between tho two mountains,
and could plainly follow tne recent now IRON its
and steaniue but looked as black MS line OF coal
heaps In our course we had worried around the
stream until we were in a north and south line
from the base of the mountain, where the lava had
rushed down. at distance OF only seven or eight
miles. . oo,,,
That night we had fine display. great smoke,
highly illuminated, was ascending over tho south
arn slope of Mauna Loa in the direction of Kiauea.
Tho clouds to the west of the mountain were almo +
oAame with light reflected from the Kan flow,
which could not be seen from this point. Right in
our faces with not a cloud to obstruct our vewwas
the burning mountain side. In the summit crater
the dense smoke, glowing with the light of the mol
ten material, was surGing back and forth like bll
lows of fire, while now and then a small fountain Of
lava would be thrown above the level of the brink.
showing what boiling. seething mass was below.
Lower down were immense pits and openings. in
which the liquid lava itself could be seen moving
az though endeavoring 10 break down all the walls
between and gather its forces for more destructive
work: while In various directions deep assures
could DO marked by the spots Of light that were
probably openings in the crust ab"ve the fssure.