New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-09-25
streams and then reuniting below left islands in the

sea of gre.
IL has been supposed by some writer's that sub
aerai or surface flow of lava could not travel many
mics from the source of the eruption without re-
q ceVing fresh supplies of fusion through frequent
Z rents IN the strata along it's course They have
argued that, however abundant the flow might be
IT'S linear progress must be checked by the radi
anon OF It's heat and the cooling of the lava But
thls Is mistake. l have seen many
iaVa streams flow for leagues, and with
great force. an unrent surface,
/ supplied only by the fusion brought UP from I'M
INV aepths and discharged through one two or
elee assures high up on Mauna Loassures not
SIIHSeeoulng one or two miles in length The roaring
blasts OF the mountain furnace are terrific, and the
fr nsm OF the river of fire down the mountain side,
or long time this high mountain channel will re-
,ha open and Filled with aya of great fuidty, so
thirty nu Tioe Track OF the lava whether fifteen
dom f i,es III ieAgth may be seen traced upon the
h; Oh Mauna Loa from its summit to its base All
who, rVef OF ire is thus visible, throughout its
M oAlent at a single glance and from enormous
,s S AT sea the light of eruption from the
Mann crater may be seen for more than $50 miles,
81 mig ing example with which l am acquainted
dstanmces "siPh1ity Of 9 mountain at great
uncovered, or sub-aerial. But its surface soon
arHuened forming thick crust like ice on IA river,
and under tins crust the lava rushed downward as
"uei oiiuer heavy Ice, retaining most of is heat
curing curing ITS uISe CT fifty miles Thus the fiery
S.iuail may flow down the mountain for full yeaf
few points where openings IA the roof Of its Cow
Enou way reveal the stream rushing down its burn
uuS uacS ana carrying destruction to the forests
tne gardens, the green meadows, the shining
Vl WI and the coasts of the great beyond
M men the molten river reaches the great pains at
tne oase Oh the mountains dome 1t spreads out into
lakes OF two, three or four miles wide Its
nmS now become slow and intermittent.
:thu mere 1T begins regular process of Law
ing pipes for further progress. From the
ont OF this great encrlsted sea of fusion
a fiery column finger OF fresh lava. one or two
tStf rd
driven 10y The enormous pressure from within. This
soon coois at the surface, STITCHING and corugatng
80 tl't the progress Of the flow is held in check
often for hours days and for tins reason the
aniniI I visitor pronounces the flow to have
FORCES The lava Is pressing down from behind with
|nconcelVable torce until suddenly it bursts open
ne imci3SnS crust, aud out PUSHES the pentrp
strean with fresh vigor, and flows onward for from
hunoued Ieet TO hall mile, according tOthe surface
oi the ground before it. In this way 1t may even be
lnpeed up hill for certain distance, and surmount
elevations IN its path and this process may
6e, repeated Tor months together, as IN the
late flow, and until the stream has made its
way as much as sixty miles from its source
through these self constructed pipes produced
thus intcrmii'ng ~ joint by joint, and through he
lehgtnehihS pyroducts that they form, the lava is
sometimes conducted nj q white heat for thirty or
forty miles.
IKE battle The crash OF falling trees the rolling
of smoke and steam, the darting of flames and the
are OIL the overhanging clouds were sight pass
ing the power OF tongue or pen pencil Mean
while the snllen food of devouring fire was dong
Is work below drinking up streams of water ana
obhterating their channels dispensing springs and
pools at touch into flashes of vapor, filing up pits
caVeris ana gorGes overrunning the gades, and
overwhelming every obstac in its path. The noise
OF It's march vas tremendous All along the front of
the advance the old rocks were exploding under
The heat and the confined water was finding its es
CAPE IN steam. he ra tie, as of musketry and the
boom o. the heavier explosions heard miles
away. On one of my five visits to the flow counted
en- detonations in minute.
The amount of lava thrown out of Mauna Loa dur
ing he nine uionth OF the eruption, from November
1851 10 August, 1851, would, i think, cover 100
square miles twenty-five feet deep, or the whole
State of Connecticut TO depth of six inches Pro
lessor Dana estimates that there is rock material
tMentY-tiYe NcsuYinSesN -