Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-05-15
A HAWAIIAN VOLCANO
A VISIT TO THE SETTLING CRATER
OF KlLAUEA.
Landscape in Hilo-Home OF the God
dess Pele-A Beautiful Lake
Fountain OF Blood Red Lava
-Perilous Journey.
[Cor. San Francisco Alta

lCor. San Francisco Alta
The next morning broke bright and
clear and enabled us to see exactly where
we were-in a large frame house not far
from the edge of a great hole in the
world from 800 to 1000 feet deep and
some nine miles in circumference
Mauna Loa to the right, swept up from
the plain 10000 feet above us. Mauna
kea with its snowy crown, rising still
higher, appeared in the northwest
scarcely farther off. The atmosphere
was clearer than crystal. Distances
on all sides were to the eye
amazingly diminished This is one
reason why Kilauea fails SO much at
first nature having done all her work on
gigantic scale a tria Of distances on
foot soon determines this fact and respect
and wonder at the scene propOrtionately
increases :, perfectly distinguishab.e
are objects on the further bank of the
or .cr that the visitor is slow to believe
that the distance in straight line is more
than three miles and that nine miles will
hardly give its circumference. Surround
ing the house on all sides were deep tis-
sures and holes in the earth. throwing out
scalding steam. Some OF them were in
crusted with sulphur. Others on their
banks condensed the steam into water,
which when cool is very fine drinking.
After breakfast we prepared ourselves
for visit to the crater, and, upon asking
for a guide, we were again courteously
informed that none was to be had, as they
were all busy attending to his stock up on
the mountain side There being no help
for it, we started by ourselves for the
crater. The first descent was quite alb
rupt, but the path soon became less steep
and more CirCuitous though none the less
fatiguing, for the last half of the way
down the bank was slippery, inclined
plane. i found it very wearisome, partic
ularly as we were then exposed to the con
centrated heat from the sides and base of
the crater. We found the walking firm
and struck off directly across the center of
the lake The lava was of inky blaCkness
and as smooth rs satin. and lay about us
in great coils, like ships hawsers. Occa-
sionally we came upon deep cracks and
cavities of vari> us sizes, partially covered
with thin crust The surface, gener
ally, was porous for an inch or so in
depth as if formed from froth or lava.
Great blocks, as perfectly quarricd as if
cut by stonemason, lay strewn about us
in great confusion.
The ascent into the body of the crater
was over a rise of lave broken up or con-
fusedly piled together. There was no
difficulty in surmounting this, or, indeed,
in traversing the crater in any direction,
beyond keeping a sharp looHout for the
numerous chasms into which the lava, in
cooling. splits up. We saw but few cones
that were active. beyond a slight smoke
or steam, and all the lakes or minor craters
and canals were black and cold. Hot air
issued from few crevices, but no other
: evidence of ire could be seen. The as
; cent was very gradual until within half a
mile of the lake, where it became more
abrupt and the lava more broken low
ever. there was no danger or trouble be.
vond little more care in picking our
way The chasms were easily Jumped
over, or, if we found one wider and more
suspicious looking than usual we avoided
,, it by little detour AS we neared the
fountain OF this great black sea cones APP
pearcd dripping with sulphur and spout.
: ing steam and fire, and a dull roar, as IF
, a lion, greeted our ears a few
p more steps and we stood on the
brink of the great Lake Ha.emaumlu
, II burst upou our visions with beautiful
effect and we snt down and reyeled in the
| scene. 1t was not grand, nor terrific, NOR
/ startling. il was beautiful | was disap.
- pointed. | hal looked for fury. tempest.
> and frenzy in this lake of fire I found a
. terrible composure The surface of the
p lake was incrusted with a dull. gray coat,
which the red lava almost instantly as
7 sumes on exposure to the air. But / was
I soon relieved of my disappointment, fol
: either the wind or its own inner agony
. roupheped its surface. and the dull gray
n coat was cut up into rivers, lakes, canals
L and streams of LIQUID lava, interperset
with lets and fountains the whole in con
tinuei action. The entire lake was swell
ing and boiling with the intensity of its
fires Crust after crust of the lava. like
q huge masses of ice, would lie rem
y as,Inder lifted IN and then disappear il
: the fiery caldron beneath. Every minute
q CHANGED the outline The surface of tn,
4 lake, assuming new forms and new action
+. wore the changeable aspect of "a kaleido
q scope Io"' ueeP, hiss'n! sounu lei
e uPoh NY c"'S 40 'nS winu "niOh JIG" At
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