Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-03-19
A HAWAIIAN VOLCANO.

PeIe.
We started for the volcano, writes
correspondent Of The San Francisco
Alta from the Hawaiian islands, i'm
mediately after breakfast one beaJti-
full morning in February, about
week following our arrival at Hilo-
the favorite starting point for tourists
visiting the woudrous work of nature.
Our horses were freshly shod for the
journey SO trying to their soles, and
our saddle bags sucurely fastened to
the rear Of our saddles, together with
q rub. er coat to protect us from the
rain which might be expected to fall
at any hour Of the day. a lively dash
of about two miles was ali the really
enjoyable riding vouchsafcd us. After
hidden by tall, rank grass. An hours
ride brought us to tropical jungle or
forest, overrun with perfect riot of
vegetation The murmured melody
Of a brook fell upon my ear as it
swiftly sped along on its laughing
journey TO the distant sea. Gentle
zephyrs whispered through trembling
bowers, upon whose gIittering verdure
the sunbeams spent their golden
giory. Tall palms reared their heads
IN stately pride, and the sweet carol
of many birds lent an Indescrlbable
charm to the scene. The ever chang
ing aspect of the glade, arrayed IN It's
robes of gorgeous hUes, bright IS the
Eden of sacred story, bade my fancy
revel ia dreams or Paradise. The
fair, sweet scene gladdene} my eyes
and filed my heart with indeanable
ecstacy.
Oh to forget sins curse and sorrows wall,
And dream my life away in such vale.
After lingering about an hour in
this lovely spot, the beauties Of which
can only be likened unto a vision Of
the promised land, we resumed our
journey, which, when well out of the
woods, soon became toilsome and
weary. Stretched round and about
us was nothing but a wilderness of
lava. Arrived at the Half way house,
we shared the keepers nOontide meal,
which consisted of few canned sar-
dimes, some soda crackers, and glass
of water, for which we were charged
the excrbitant price of 81 apiece. 1t
was ia no enviable frame of mind that
we resumed our mOnotonOus journey.
Not having a guide with US, we lost
the trail severav times, consequently
before we had arrived at the last half
mile post the queen Of night had
dropped her sable mantle down and
pinned it with a star" The last mile
of the road was excellent, and was
rapidly covered by our weary steeds
in expectation of good meal and a
warm stable. Poor brutes, how sadly
were they disappointed. Their expec-
tations were far from being realized.
The landlord claimed that he only
kept sufficient grain for his own
stock, and as for use of the stable, that
could not be thought of, for it might
Interfere with the comfort of his own
animals. So our poor tired horses
were turned into sparse, dry pasture
to pick for themselves.
The first appearance of Knauea
invariably disapp0ints. Ones previous
deas Of volcanoes are altogether set
at naught. AS we drew up | seemed
to be scarcely aware that we had =
rived at the brink of the largest active
crater on the globe. I gazed half
vacantly st the scene before me, and
then turned away to look after our
horses and baggage. Ny companion
openly ayowed that it was not what
he came for. Ny ideas OF volcanoes,
as we'll as those of most pesple, are
taken from the stereotype representa-
tions of Vesuvius, Atna. and other
conical-shaped mountains. vomiting
forth flames, smoke, stones, snd ashes,
with red lava running down their
sides, that are to be found in all
standard biographies. Hence, in
approaching Kilauea the inexperienced
visitor looks up, rather than down,
and expects to find burning noun
tain before him, furious with heat and
stunning with noise.
Our long and tiresom days journey
had prepared us TO devour almost any
thing which the proprietor of the
hotel might choose to set before u.s.
We were somewhat chagrined, how
ever, to find only little cold, roasted
gild pig and few sweet potatoes with
which to satisfy our ravenous hunger.
Notwithstanding the very inferior
quality and small quantity of the
v1ands before US, we did them ample
astice, for our vigorous appetites
rould not admit our being over par
lcular as to what we ate After sup
per we adjourned to the veranda of
The hotel to enjoy quiet smoke, and
o gaze upon the unearthly glare of
1alemaumau, some FIVE or six miles
away the smoke of which ascends
with livid reflection to the sky and
dung above the lake like a huge, red
cloud, with streak of yellow under
t which seemed to be IN motion. In
she blackness of the abyss before us
uddy seams came and went and some
mes slender threads of orange fased
hrough the darkness. This, we learn
ID was an overflow of lava from New
lake, which had occurred only the
iay before. We remained en- the yer
anda, silently contemplating the
magnificent spectacle, as long as the
chill evening air would permit. On
expressing oar wish to retire, we were
SHOWN tO oI1r ro0nS which were very