The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1885-05-27

and then and thcre lying down, were 50 ,-,wm
thu whole night long, despite the fact that at
a little distance from where smoke and steam
were issuing, huge banks Of snow were repos
ing IN icy GOODNESS, ana the crater walls about
US were beautifully and grardly festooncd
with snow. However in consequence Of the
rejection from the snow beneath aud around
US. Of the brilliant sunlight during the day
time shining on It, our eyes durias the night
time, began TO be affected with iucipieat OPP
thalmia, while our heads, in consequence pf
the light air we were breathing, were in the
morning affected with incipient vertigo bodily
feelings which warned US that too long stay
in tho place where We then were, would be
unadyisable; although We nevertheless did
stay where we were long enough 10 70 90. and
closely examine all the aoTe important con
tents Of that far famed chaSm. The position
we occupied during the night We spent IN No
kuuweowec, was inst opposite 10 ard beneath
that point in its western wall, where Mauua
Loa reaches its l0itieSt eleyatioa. and the
depth from the brink To the to,to,, ol Tie era
ter is the greatest, position Just about is near
the center Of the crater (mcaSurcd leusthwise)
as well could be, without an actual survey 10
determine where exactly the eeaieg is. Sciet-
tihc measurement makes the hoeg Of Mokpa-
weoweo to be 500 and 1000 fee: below the
level attained by The highest portion Of its
wall.
Climbing out of NIokuaweoweo, though
less trying 10 nerves, was moro trying to
limbs and lungs than letting ourselves
down in; however we got out at last. and
speedily thereafter began our descent from
the regions of sky to those of earth
The out look upon the clouds below from
the height Of 1900 feet which greeted my
view upon the morning Of my last day
upon the mountain, gave me no small
alarm. il being evident from what / saw.
that heavy storm was raging beneath; 4
storm, which l felt sure. would ere long
mount up and sweep the top Of the noun
tain.-for though II was fair weather where
| then was, only cold and windy, an upper
stratum Of clouds, rolled by the wind into
the form Of smooth curling lines, such as
l had sometimes noticed prior to snow
storms in New England, was being driven
onward from the 5. W, to meet the trade
wind clouds from the n f: the two sets
OF clouds presenting very angry appear
ance at the place of meeting and overlap
ping. Down the mountain we made our
way as rapidly as possible, striking the
storm about three o'clock in the afternoon.
and travelling from that time onward.
blinded with fog and drenched with rain.
However thanks to kind Providence and
the skill of Commodore Wilkes grandson
we ahghted upon our old trail much soon
er than we expected, and were in camp
drying ourselves before 4 rousing fire be
fore dark The storm proved to be. Us 1
surmised might be the case, prolonged
toaa of the Seyerest type.
The present condition of MOkuaweoweo
is the same as that in which l found ii
when visited it IL 1881 That particular
area of the floor OF it where l spent the
night, IS not smoking any more now than
II was then. perhaps not quite as much
This far-famed crater has not been in q
condition of activity since MAY. 1880
A tremendous mountain Mauna LOa in
deed Is; its length from north to south
being scarcely less than thirty miles, and
Its breadth being even greater than its
length-the slope Of this enormous plateau
OF rock, extending, from Hllo bay on the
windward side Of Hawaii, to kealakekua
bay on the leeward. side When this
gigantic mountain mass VIII send forth
another flow, and where this next flow viii
break out; whether MokuaweOweO viii
continue to be active from time to time as
OF yore, or instead, lapse into quiescence.
allowing subteTanean volcanic forces to
go on accommodating in volume and inten
slty until at length, the mountain unable
to endure the strain any longer. the whole
top Of 1t Is blown of, and the summit Of
Mauna LOd becomes a second and larger
Haleakala; all these are questions to which
the only suitable or even possible response
we can make Is to confess our absolute
Ignorance. Only this much we DO know
and may affirm regarding the whole matter.
that the transformation Of the summit Of /
Mauna Lod into 4 second and q larger
Hsleakala viii be apt to throw the sugar
mills of Hawaii slightly out Of gear. and
pepper the sugar lands Of the island with
volcanic ashes and even granite boulders-
The easiest method Of ascending Mauna
LOa Is by means Of horses from Aiuapo
Though not steep the way vet Is long and
tedious Bench after bench of ancient !
pshoehoe has to be mounted and trayersed. |
and the last one before deserving the 1
western wall of Mokuaweoweo. the ascend !
ing mOuntaineer comes at length to feel. |
never viii break into view and be sur |
mounted
John Ulumahiapua Pea has never guild
ed horses to the summit OF Mauua Loa;
although of his ability to 50 guide a /
mounted party, L have no doubt How |
ever, persons, the extent Of whose IneIina
ton TO put forth physical ezerti0n Is to
go out on picnic or achieve a pleasant
holiday excursion are hereby recon-
mended to defer ascending Msuna Loa.
until such time, as for the sake OF results.
they may prefer painstaking to picuicing.
and severe and even exhaustive effort to
sweet and easy recreation