Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-08-06
Views of the Lava Flow.

Mr.. Furneaux has returned from Hawaii with
number of views OF tho lava flow, taken ut
different points at the source and at the end OF
the low Four views showing the crater and adj
iacent region are interesting in the extreme. On
tho 25th of June, Mr.. Furneaux left the Volcano
House at Kilauea with Mr. Roeback. q gentleman
accustomed to travelling, and who was formerly q
soldier in the U. s. Army, and started toward the
source of the flow. They left about D AN. and
reached the limit of vegetation at o'clock, where
they camped for tho night They left camp the next
morning before o'clock and at PM reached
the crater. Tho air was very light but tho only
inconvenience suffered was occasional bleeding ut
the nose and giddness which, however, soon
passed away. It was most barren and desolato
region, and snow was lying about in patches on
the mountain side. He made four sketches which
give one excellent idea of the locality. A sight
of them is the next best thing 10 seeing the orr
ginal. One view shows the new crater and the
first vent hole some six miles distant, where the
lava stream pours out The new crater broke out
in December and is now quite active. Another
view shows the newly formed crater a mass of "a
of q brick color. On one side of the crater is
shown stream of red pahoehos that has cooled as
1T flowed. in small terraces, like stair way.
Above the crater towards Mokuaweoweo
patches of snow. third view represents the in
side OF the crater or as much OF IL as could be
seen. The heat was very great and portion of
the inside only could be seen from above. The mir
was so rare that smoke and steam assembled in
perpendicular columns all of which is shown very
truthfully in the paintings. Another view shows
the vent hole from which the lava stream issues,
after flowing under ground six miles. These four
views are certainly of great value, and less per-
severing artist than Mr.. Furneaux would not have
undertaken the fatigue and dangers OF tho trip
necessary to secure them. After making his
sketches he returned with his companion, reaching
the line Of vegetation about dark Here they
camped for the night and the next day, June 9th,
reached the Volcano House at $50 PM. The dis
lance from the Volcano House TO the crater in an
air line is about fifteen miles, but the course Mr..
Furnoaux was compelled to take was twenty or
twenty-five miles-a long and tiresonie tramp
over an exceedingly rough country. A number Of
other views taken near the end of the flow are
beautiful and make an entertaining study. One
of tho most interesting Is taken about six
miles from Hilo showing tho junction Of the flows,
and the main body eating its way through the
woods. This represents the scene ut night and
shows the course Of the long line Of the flow by
the fire from the many vent holes. The reflection
of the light below on the overhanging clouds of
smoke the many hues Of the liquid fusion and
green foliage of the surrounding wood are de-
picted with wonderful exactness, and the blending
OF the different colOrs Is in charming aud strik-
ing contrast. The lava stream at this place is
running in the track of previous flow, and is
tho timber that was left by its prede-
oessor, leaving only desolation behind il. One
view representing deluge of rain falling on tho
lava, and the effect of the consequent commin-
CLING Of fire, air and water is peculiarly interest
ing. There arc number of other views which we
have not space to notice. every one of which tells
Its part of the story of the eruption of Mauna Loa
far better than words could describe it. One
can learn more by u glance at these paintings
than by reading all that has been written on tho
subject. The sketches were taken at different
hours of the day and night, and all of the varying
coors and shades of the molten mass are portray
ed on the canvas. 1t might not be out of place to
mention in connection with this, that Mr.. Fur
neaux got out of canvas while ut Hlo, and was
supplied with some close, strong bed-ticking on
which he made background for his paintings by
coloring it with red, decomposed lava from Kilau-
ca, finely powdered and mixed with oil. II is GER
tainly fortunate that we have n competent artist
among us Mt this time, for such opportunities do
not offer moro than once twice in a century,
and 1t is not often that there is anyone to take
of them.