The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-10-28
lIiLo, SANDWICH ISLANDS,
Aug. IL, 1881.


Aug. l9, 1881.
Hilo (Helo) is village on the east
ern coast OF the Island OF Hawaii
(Howi) nestled In densely wooded
cove sloping down from the mountains
Of Mauna Loa. The hArbor here Is a
semi-circlo OF about two miles, aud
beautifully fringed with cocaslt trees,
growing down almost into the surf OF
the ocean. and the ample beach is GOV.
cred with ono dense mass Of tropical
greenery, dotted with a handful of
cottages. containing population Of
two or three hundred. This place has
long been the missionary center of this
island.
Prom this region of perpetual sum.
mer the I've ,un take IN glance the
domain of si snol.--- winter, ti,r Sno~ :
crownrsl PEAK "f VI 'una Liza. AtI'Er.-
snt y large. ,isrr .d moi,.n lava - rvii
ing down iii, ,n',n,lain fr',,n V,,lrssv
near Its suInm't ia he: aIr, - t,n oi the
SEA, aud liI. aisai e,.,i iipS hs. irsche1
To within ole lail. of iliiu. ! sudden
rest took place ia ihs mountain on ths
5Ih dAy 0f laAt November, through
which y flood Of fi,e hAs l,een pouring
ever since, now having rcached dis-
tance Of fifty miles. including curves
and sinuositics. The width of the
stream varies from one 10 five miles,
and the depth, according 70 the facs Of
the country, from twenty to 1000
feet, crossing and filling up immense
chasms, ravines and gulches. The red
hot CORY mass having spread very wide,
is advancing but slowly, now at the
rate of about 800 feet day. 1t is
about the consistency Of mush and
rolls in waves. When ono wave fat
tens, cools ane becomes stationary,
another succeeds and passes over it,
and in like manner another, until lay
er after layer of lava stone is added TO
the surface Of the earth. Forests,
plantation. houses, and everything
within reach of this rcsistless flood
have boon destroyed. At night red
glare can be seen along the line from
one end to the other.
The Christian people Of Hilo are i'm
ploriDg the Almighty Ruler of volcanoes
to stay the devastating march of this
flood, and leave them their beautiful
village; and the natives, with minds
still inclined to superstition, are daily
making sacrifices to the god of fire.
Hundreds of live animals are thrown
into this seetbing, boiling lava; pref
erably Logs, goats and dogs. They
also give up their choicest clothing To
the flames. Similar volcanic eruptiona
here are not unusual. The first record
ed eruption took place in 1882, and
the last in 1868. At each eruption the
river of fire ponred down the mountain
and reached The sea.
The greatest volcano on the islands,
and indeed, the largest active volcano
in the world, is thirty miles to the
east of Mauna Loa, on the same noun
tain range. The native legend chims
that it has been in perpetual activity
for mere than 500 years, but If We
we're to estimate it's age from the work
performed, we would make it much
older. This crater has thrown up u
fnid lava and spread it over mn area
Of forty miles of country, layer after
layer till AN altitude of 1000 feet has
been reached. The lava docs not flow
from the top of the crater now but has
found subterranean outlet.
From Hilo to this crater Kilanea the
distance is forty miles and over road
almost impossible, thirty miles of which
is perpetual upward scramble over
bare, rugged lava rocks. AZ IIilo it is
customary for traveller to secure
horse and guide to make this trip. /
secured the former but. not the latter,
this is the safest country IN the world 10
travel in--no wild al mails, nosnakes no
insects and no tiamps; and to get
lost is impossible, as n days travel ni
any direction would take one il. sight
of the ocean. The first few miles
from the little village, OH the roa'l to
the volcano, was over fa'. swampy
ground, where the old lava had decom.
posed, making very rich soil--the
grasses grew higher than the horses
back, often entitely hiding the narrow
trail. After riding an hour dense
u. 11