The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-10-15
Our 0lio.
A RIVER OF FIRE.

! the largest and southernmost OF the Sand
wich Island group. The new crater, or
series of craters, is on the side of the
mountain some twelve miles distant from
/ the summit crater of Mokuaweoweo, which
remained quiescent. Tho eruption was
unaccompanied by any earthquake shock,
and no ashes or showers of volcanic clnder
were emitted, but three immense rivers OF
| lava poured down the mountain slope, one
/ flowing toward Kau, one toward Mauna
1 Kea. and the other and largest toward
| Hilo, on the eastern side of the island, and
in norlhcasterly direction from the new
crater,
The last mentioned was from the first
| the most active flow, and is the only one
now moving. 1t is divided into different
branches, but is pressing onward toward
the sea, sometimes quite rapidly, and again
so slowly that its progress is not noticeable.
/ For some time after the outbreak the ex
treme point of the flow was composed of
kind Of lava known aa a.d, simply large
masses of rock and red hot blocks of lava
pushed forward by tie great body of pa
Loehoe, or liquid lava, behind.
The main stream confined itself to no
valley, canon, or other depression, but fol
/ lowed down the mountain, crossing and
reerossiug old flows of previous dates, but
/ not keeping in the track of any, sweeping
onward aud downward with irresistible
force, making a pathway for Itself as It
went, filling up holes, eayerns, and old
creyasses, tumbling down precipitous de-
scents, falling over cliffs iu its way, in some
cases celebrating them, and in Others ad-
ding to their height, leveling forests in its
course, and spreading destruction on every
hand, aud leaving behind desolate stretch
Of black and broken masses Of lava piled
in heaps aud strewu about in the greatest
disorder.
10 the day time this a.a 10 the vanguard
Of the Cow, a great wall OF red bot debris
some thirty fee, in height, appeared like a
confused mass, sliding, rolling, pitching
downward, slowly but steadily pressed on,
while the lous line Of the flow upward to-
ward the source could DO traced by the
/ columns ct ascending smoke.
Bus at night the long river Of molten
/ lava. winding is way like a heFy serpent
along the side Of AlaBna Los, was grand
/ 10 the extreme line Of the most magoi-
fecut pyroseehaie display imaginable.
[ The fountain head near Mokuawsoweo was
blaze Of brilliant light, spreading daz
ding halo over the summit Of Mauua Loa,
Illuminating the whole superintendent
heavens. and visible u sea distance Of
more than q hundred miles. Ever and
aeon fountains Of the liquid FIRE would
spars hundreds OF feet above the summit
liae, oaIy to disappear aud be succeeded
by others cf equal brilliaHcy; again 4 hage
mas Of the seething fasioa would burst
upward and outward, throEa trom the
crater apparently BY sOme great explosion,
aud descend il showers Of hery spray
fierce tongues Of aamc would leap into Shs
SKY, and the effect Of these evaueseent
dart. of light piercing aad playing upon
the dense clouds Of oyerhaustng -sEokc
vas woaderiuI to behold.
Bslow the summit fires vas the stream
Of burnisg lava marching onward to the
sea, ike a grand army bearing weapons Of
fame Steadily il erawled along tuch BY
inch, foot BY foot, rod by rod, mile By mile,
working its way through dcuse woods aud
rank underground, spreading ever great
rocks, and passing seemingly insurmount-
able obstacles. Nothing could stop IT,
nalhiuE could check is onward career
Ia some places il would spread over lit
tie fat OF valley, forming = shallow lake
Of LIQUID fire. and the surface, cooling,
woald assume different hues, froa blood
red to a dying purple Then the stream
beneath would suddenly break through
assures in the crust, and trace uneven lines
Of white aud bright red lava Of varying
width and form over the paler light Of the
slowly cooling surface. Snail struggling
branches from either side Of the main flow
would push their way into the surround
iug forest, aud the light from the burning
bushes aud trees that tell before il was dull
10 comparison TO the dazzling brillianeyo Of
the liquid mass.
Disappearing from view behind some
intervening ridge or point, j, would emerge
lower down. flowing quietly along, having
the appearance Of strip Of Furnished gold
eaameled with fame, and would then de-
scend into narrow gorge between high
walls, aud as il angered at being thus con
fned. would tear oaward, an avalanche Of
hery huid Immense rocks weighing many
tons were borne along Ike chips on
winter freshci, aud the grinding aud
grating aud grOaning Of the mass as 1t
plowef its way, the Kissing Of the water as
the hot lava plunged into it, the deafening
roar, like the beating Of the angry surf on
storm bound coast, aud the continual
explosions, like the discharge Of heavy
/ ordnance, were sounds appalling to hear.
Reaching Il deelivity, the glowing tor
rent would pour downward and form sue
1 ccssiye cascades Of liquid fire. Occasion
ally n great quantity of red hot and white
/ hot a a would be thrown upward like peb
I bles tossed from the hands of 4 giant, aud
again n column of lava would shoot upward
/ from the burning river, and cooling in mid
/ air. descend in showers Of blackened beads.
1 Great bubbles would liA themselves above
/ the surface for moment, aud then be
swallowed by the moving mass. Huge
cones would suddenly rise upward from
the body of the flow, and grow until like
towers or castles of frozen flame, and then
slowly cool off and remain stationary like
great black monsters 10 the centre of the
stream of lava Small branches from the
main flow would crawl in all directions
through the tangled underbrush and beau
tiful ferns, which, dropping over the front
of the burning lava, would tremble a mo
ment, aud then, slowly withering and curl
ing before the intense heat, fall like grain
before the reaper's scythe, and perish,
emitting a momeutary fame to show the
green ranks of shrubbery behind awaiting
the same cruel fate.
The smoke from the burning vegetation,
and the steam arising from either side of
fthe fow-which, with its branches, is 10
places two or three miles wide-meetipg
above it, aud lighted by the reflection from
the fires below, would form white arch
way, beneath which could be seen for
miles the long winding river of fame.
The heat from the crater and the lava
stream was so great that for two months
after the outbreak there was not shower
of rain at Hilo, forty miles distant from
the crater-a place where the annual rain
-