The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1881-03-11
A RIVER OF FIRE.

Volcanic Eruption In HAWAIf-EbundsT.
ing EIpIOsiOns-WhIts Hot HoSks and
Flowing Plane
The Hawaii Gazette gives an account
Of an eruption of the volcano OF Manua
Loa. exceeding in violence any aver be.
fore known ON the island. The grand
outburst of fire is described as follows.
II broke out about 7 P. n. on Friday,
about six miles north OF the summit
crater Of Mokuaweoweo on Manua
LOa, and flowed down the elevated
plateau living between Mauna Loa and
Kea, sending out two branches, one
from near its source toward the old
crater of Rilauea, and another branch
further down, tending toward the east.
On Wednesday the flow could be seen
distinctly from Hilo winding its way
toward Puma, with a small branch
stream running toward Hilo. The
stream running toward Puma vas about
thirty miles in length, and from 100 TO
200 yards in width, with a depth OF
about twenty feet. A correspondent OF
the Gazette accompanied a party to view
the grand sight, and they climbed the
mountain side Soon, he says, as the
fog gradually cleared off the sides Of the
mountain, we saw a tremendous river
of fire pouring down the steep sides.
We could see it distinctly down the
slope, till i tran into the fog bank, which
had settled like a huge snow bed all
over the lowlands.
The fire was an intense white light
and was running fuIiously downward.
They then went toward Puma to see the
molten river by night, and, he adds, the
moon set, and still it was light enough
TO see to read. Away above us in the
heavens shone the brilliant fountain
head, and thence to the end was a con
tinuous stream OF liquid lava. There
lay a river of fire beneath us at least
thirty miles long, every inch Of which
was one bright rolling tide OF fire.
There was not a single break in the
whole length. The whole front edge,
being about ~three-fourths of a mile wide,
was a most intensely brilliant light, and
as it slowly advanced and rolled over
the small trees and scrub, bright flames
would flash up and die out along the
whole edge. Then there were giant ex-
p~losions, vast and terrible, as if the earth
was being shattered by earthquakes, and
all at once a huge dome OF molten lava
was thrown up about half way up the
mountain side, and continued to flow
over like an immense fountain. The
next day the party crossed the old lava
beds for bout 1000 feet. Not twenty
feet distant was the immense bed Of lava
slowly moving forward with irresistible
force, bearing on its surface huge rocks
and immense boulders OF tons weight.
The whole front edge was n bright
red mass of solid rock necessarily break
ing off from the towering mass and roll
ing do Wn to the foot of it, to be again
covered up by another avalanche oil
white-hot rocks and sand. The mass
was at its front edge from twelve to
thirty feet in height. Along the line OF
its advance it was n crash Of rolling,
sliding, tumbling red-hot rock. We
could see no fire or liquid lava at all,
but the whole advance line of red-hot
stones and scoria. There were nc ex-
plosions while we were lear the flow,
only a tremendous roaring like ten
thousand blast furnaces all at work at
one Some fears of the safety OF Hilo
are still entertained, but the flow seems
tuning in another direction.
A correspondent of the Honolulu
Press, writing from Hilo, says. The
sight on Saturday was indescribably
grand. All day, With or without the
glass, our eyes were turned toward the
mountain. A fountain Of liquid lava
was pouring up from the summit line Of
Mauna Loa. Two fiery streams were
distinctly visible coursing down its side,
one toward Mauna Kea, the other nearer
Hilo. At night the sky was a glare OF
light that made objects distinctly visible
in the streets and in rooms. Wednes'
day night the sight of the mountain wa
most glorious. The broken clouds lying
around the summitsides were irradiatef
and sbone in wonderful splendor. The
force of the eruption seems now dimip-
ishing.