The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1881-10-08

the water, now DOHings up III q vast
column of spray twenty or thirty feet
high; at others, the lava would flow
slower, and cool as it touched the wa
ter surface, over which it would spread
like cake of ice, thickening with the
flow, till the water could support it no
longer. and then, with a report like
gun, it would break at the bank and
sink to the bottom with tumultuous
noise
Similar phenomena. even on a grander
scale, were repeated. The flow was
about half mile lower down the river
bed from which it had consumed all
the water. Arriving at a cascade some
twenty feet high, it fell over in great
red flood Of flame sixty feet wide, and
was precipitated into q largo pool of
water nearly fifteen feet in circumfer-
ence, Transforming it into mammoth
caldron of fiery explosives, that sent
hot spray and steam up and about for
almost incredible distances, till all was
consumed, and the pool was filed to q
level with the river bed above-an OPP
Grafton which occupied about an hour
and a half, during which time nearly
one thousand cubic yards of lava were
deposited.
The manner of flowing is very erratlc.
and it is impossible to determine its
course beforehand. Like all liquids, it
seeks its level, but it does not remain
liquid. The terminus may harden and
cool. The next outbreak is as apt to
occur on top. or either side of the how.
as at the end. If on top the stream in
creascs in height and flows back over
itself till it becomes as high as an adj
joining hill The next break may be
on the side next the hill, in which di-
rection it will run. On reaching it, the
stream is banked up only to break out
afresh on the top, or upper side, per-
haps, till it attains q greater elevation
than the hill. when, OF course, it flows
over it. Thus, places secure from inun-
dation by. water cannot be reckoned as
perfectly safe from lava flow. Several
instances of this kind have occurred
here. The flow forms for itself great
black or steel-gray tunnel, through
which it flows in white fame out OF
sight. and reducing everything il
touches, from fiinty rock to q grass
blade, into the gaseous foam-an oper-
alton often attended by deafening ex-
plosions. A tree trunk may be en-
veloped before being consumed. The
gases into which it IS transformed seek
an outlet with force that is truly ap.
paling.
The natives regard the flow with SUI
perstitious dread, and are. in attend
ance daily. the women being especially
devout. They will kneel by the side Of
the dow for hours, chanting in doleful
measure to the goddess Pele. whom
they seek to propitiate with offerings OF
silver, which they throw into the
stream. 1t would seem that most Of
the earnings of some of them are thus
disposed Of. Tourists follow their ex-
ample, as far as throwing their money
into the lava is concerned, but they
subsequently, take the lava and coin
both away with them to preserve as
specimens. 80
The unique and grotesque forms as.
sumed by the fluid in cooling are won
derful, and weeks could be passed in
| viewing their endless variety. Familiar
forms in miniature or natural size, OF
colossal in bulk. are seen on every
hand. Parts of the human body and Of
animals abound. The natives call this
kind of lava pahoehoe. The aa is rough
and rocky. Pahoehoe often appears like
ropes, straight aid coiled, or like pulled
and twisted candy. Again, it is some
times like dough being kneaded, or like
mammoth modelling in black clay.
"a fortunate turn in the flow Of lava
y few days after the above was written
saved Hilo from the threatened destruc
ton. Since then the eruption has near
~ ceased.