Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-09-15
THE VOLCANOES OF HAWAII.
The Largest Volcano in the world
Crater Miles in circumference.

The Largest Volcano in the Wcrid-A
Crater Miles in circumference.
The Hawaiian Islands boast Of two rat
ural wonders the largest extinct and the
largest active volcano in the world. The
| former, Haleakala, is situated on the Island
of Maui, the summit being 1000 feet
above the level of the sea. The crater is,
| believe. over forty eight miles IN circum-
ference. You could drop New York into
it and still have some desirable corner lots
left for Chicago and San Francisco. As
you stand on the summit you look down
into the crater 1000 feet. the sides now
terraced and covered with sandalwood,
giant ferns, and a wonderful profusion of
tropical flowers ard fruits.
The latter the active volcano of Keleau-
weau, is situated on Hawaii, thirty miles
from Hilo, which distance You make over
n solid lava rock road, on a sore-backed
| horse. All the native horses for hire have
sore backs. 1 believe that is the only Way
they can get them TO 90, but it makes it
very interesting for the rider on that rock
road with his horse on dead trot At
every football he Is forcibly reminded of a
| pile-driver
! The crater is situated on q spur of
| Mauna Lea, the highest mountain of the
islands, nearly $4,000 feet in altitude, but
the volcano is only 1000 feet above sea-
| level. The crater is not a cone, but
great pit on this level bench, nine miles in
| circumference You 90 down down, over
/ this almost perpendicular wall, 500 feet,
and stand on the floor of the crater. This
Al -. 4
mau, the house Of everlasting fire, of Ha-
waiian mythology. Although it is two
years since ! stood there, the awful and
sublime picture rises clear and distinct be-
fore me now. The area at the bottom of
the crater is not liquid mass but for
miles and miles all around you there
spreads a scene Of unearthly grandeur.
Five or six lakes Of fire lie to the left and
right; the floor beneath is 50 hot you can
scarcely walk over it; lava oozes M
through the assures You can LIGHT a
match in any OF the cracks. Huge cones.
twenty or thirty feet high, made by the
bubbles Of lava, rise through the seams and
are cooled by the air. The fact that the
points Of eruption are continually chang
ing gives one 4 very insecure feeling as he
walks over this burning floor.
At last we stood on the verge of the new
est lake formed, about a mile and half in
circumference and lying fifty feet below US.
We peered over the edge; the center Law
solid and black before Us, but all around
the boundary beautiful fountains Of blood
red fire were playing, sending their sprar
fifty feet into the air. We were on the
windward side, or we could not stand the
heat.
After a while we rose to 20. but the
guide said: Not vet; YOU haven't seem
il yet" We waited and waited an hour
passed. At last the guide cried, Look
there~ A crack-a seam of fire shot
across the surface, a score more followed in
different directions, in quick succession. !
the center began to rise, the great cakes of
lava drifted toward the edge and disap
peared, the center rose HIGHER. and in
moment more the pot was boiling. The
whole lake was seething. foaming. bill !
lowy, burning sea, lashing the blacI, shores
and sending Its fiery spray leo feet high. |
cooling in the atmosphere and dropping
around Us like 1nespm threads of glass. !
We fell back to a respectable distance. and
for an hour watched in silence the most
awe-inspiring and terrible sight mans eve |
can rest upon. Then the billows heean to |
sui side, the waves heat themselves to rest
against the shore, the whole center cooled !
down, as before, to a black, solid mass |
while the fountains took up their old W |
cation, playing around the edge.
After half 4 day among such scenes, it !
was with feelings Of relief, and with bis |
tered feet, that We again climbed the rug
ged sides of the crater and breathed Durer |
air from the nights above. The guide said /
" Last year | accompanied a noted Uni
versalist preacher, Of Boston here. As we
reached this point he took one last look at
the awful scene he had left and said ; !
Well | can appreciate the feelings Of /
some people who believe in he'll after |
this" ! saw at this time that wonderful /
river Of fire that flowed from the summit I
Of Mauna Loa for fifty miles down toward /
Iilo, and its proud waves were stayed !
within three-qUarters Of mile Of the !
town 1t was about three miles in width /
and from ten to fifty feet high. It cut It's !
way down through the forest and carried !
everything before it being Of the consist |
ency OF thick mush, and forced by The aw-
ful pressure behind no obstruction could /
be placed in its way 1t looked strange TO /
see it rolling up hill and pressing on in q |
straight line. The whole heavens we're |
ablaze at night and by its light, miles /!
away,yOI could read the finest print Rev |
". j. Smith in the Banner.