The Hawaiian gazette., 1881-07-27
The Latest from the Great
Lava Flow.
The Old Mountain Displays
Increased Activity.
The Flow Steadily Approaching
the Sea.
Graphic Description by Our Own
Correspondent.
Interesting Extracts from Various Pri-
vate Letters.

We are indebted 10 gentleman who has recent
" visited Hilo and Kilauea, for the very graphic
account Of the lava dow which we print below. We
hear that Mr.. FurneauK has wonderful collection
of views; he obtained the other day view of lava
as it was falling over precipice, water, laya'and
steam and gas forming wonderful combination.
Mr.. Furneaux expects to return next week:
Enron GAxETTE:-Although many accounts Of
the lava flow now approaching Ililo have appeared
in the papers, / have been asked to give my own
impressions of this wonderful how, aud a short
account Of the visit of our party to the crater Of
hilausa.
As we entered the bay, line of smoke and
steam could be seen extending from Just back,
and little 10 the left, of the kalai hills above
hilo along the slope OF Maunaloa, forty-hye miles
away 10 the source, which seems To be a Few miles
north of the summit crater of Mokuaweoweo
This smoke has reddish tint from the burning
lava, and the clouds above reflect the tire below.
The appearance Of the How and of the reelection
when seen by u.s. left the bay week later
by night, was truly grand. We rode up 10 the
flow ON the day of our arrival at Hilo, the 10th Of
July, and should say that the end of the stream,
which is only an arm of the main TOW, was then
less than three miles from the town. 1t was How
ing in water course which had small stream in
it. There was but little action al the end of the
low, though the lava very hot. We walked
upon the hot surface of the lava for perhaps
quarter of a mile from the end, seeing good deal
of action or flowing lava, at various points along
the banks. This flow Is composed entirely of the
pahoehoe or satin lava, and every crack and ifs
sure glowed with the fire beneath, and we had to
step constantly TO keep our shoes from burning.
The surface seemed 10 be as hot as the top of
stove while cooking, and camping party that we
visited near by, cooked all their food ON the lava
and boiled a tea kettle in lew minutes over
steam crack. l visited the flow four times, and
can never forget the impression made during
visit at night week after the first view. The
stream of lava had advanced full half a mile since
the first visit, and was coming down the water
course towards Waiolama. The liquid lava came
slowly rolling the rocks and mo the pools of
water causing ii to boil and the steam to rise in
fearful manner. The heat is intense, and the
crowd of natives and foreigners is constantly
ceeding as the fiery flood advances. During my
stay of two hours, should think the How had ad-
vanced over two hundred feet.
During the afternoon some of my friends had
seen the molten lava run over a fall of perhaps
fifteen feet into the water below, SIX feet deep, and
the sight was grand beyond description. There
was quite large basin to be filled with lava and it
took an hour and forty minutes to ill up even,
before il could continue on Its course. MIR. Fur
neaux the artist, has taken very line sketches
of the flow the spot, both by day and night.
Did any artist ever have such opportunity to
paint flowing lava +! MIR. Dickson too, has got
some good views of the flow which will soon be on
exhibition The end of the stream Is constantly
surrounded by crowd of men, women, children,
and even dogs, and the boys are busy IN getting
ont specimens Of soft lava which they make into
vases and other curiosities.
progress of this fiery mass sit advances with such
SLOW but irresistible forces covering all the rocks,
filling up ravines, licking up pools or streams of
water like, some dread monster from the Internal
regions. As 1t is quite impossible to describe in
words the appearance Of flowing lava, would ad-
wise every who can to visit this flow as it is
accessible and there may never be such chance
again. IL is now within two miles and half of
Hilo, and if it continues to flow as at present it
will certainly reach the bay in a few weeks, proba
bly, between the town and the WAiakea Mill. The
flow most dreaded by those IN Hilo however, is the
main one still in. or near the woods, perhaps SIX
miles distant, and which seems to be quite active.
This flow would probably pass to the north of the Ha
lai hills, in which case 1t would take in the whole
of the town, and ruin the beautiful bay of Hilo.
Let US all devoCty pray that the action at the source
may entirely cease.
But let us take glance at the eternal fires of the
Halemaumau in Kilauea. Since the earliest tradi-
tions Pele has bathed in those molten waves of
lava, yet they are ever changing and one can never
see them twice the same. Our party to the volcano
consisted of ten; three ladies, SIX gentlemen and
boy of ten. We arrived at the Volcano House
about five In the afternoon and the cheerful glow
of the broad fire place with the kind attractions of
our host Mr. LentZ, made Us feel quite at home.
The evening was spent IN watching the light from
the lakes in the crater and in talking and laughing
round the cheerful fire place.
In the morning, after hearty breakfast we all
started with guide, Mr.. Rewbeck to explore the
wonders of Kilauea. Those who have been there
will remember the steep descent of four or five
hundred feet into the crater, and the tedious walk
over the pahoehoe beds 10 the new lake, distance
of three miles, But we come at last to the edge of
what is called the new lake, and sitting or stand
ing upon the bank we gaze with wonder and awe
at the surging of the blood red lava below u.s. The
bank where We stand is perhaps seventy feet from
the surface of the lake, and the heat Is intense
The lake is nearly round, in form and perhaps five
six hundred feet in diameter. At first the action
seemed TO be confined mostly to the edges, where
the liquid lava would leap out from under the
banks as from the bloody jaws of some great mon
ster.
But soon the whole lake seemed to be in action.
From one side a livid crack would far out into
the middle and soon the black crust would turn
under and the boiling lava come boiling up and
tossing its fiery tongues ten twenty feet into the
quivering air. This repeated over and over
again until the whole surface of the lake was IN
magnificent action.
q" Here at one view. the eye takes in the whole;
The wonderful sublime. uneQuelled scsnei
Here let Us sit and gaze, and drink our I'LL,
Awed into nothingness, TO silence awedl
Could our contracted faculties expand,
To the full measure Of such scenes as these,
What joy. inefIable TO comprehend
The Wonderous whole, wonderous in every parti
No wonder than that untaught savages,
Should here prOpitiate the unknown power,
Whose being famed upon the molten doodl
Lot with what mighty power
The lifted columns their owing headsl
Like artificial jets in playing fOnnts;
Or like the bristling arms OF q vast camp
With banners cleaning in the suns bright rays.
But few OF all this earth's vast multitude
Are privileged stand upon the brink
of famed Niagaru: or cen To
The mighty ocean dashed into foam;