Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-08-29
IN A VOLCANO.
GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF WALKS
AM0NG SETTLING LAVA.
a Sacramento Girls Visit to Kilauea,
the Famous Volcano on the
Island of Hawaii.


Island of Maui, and after experiencing the
usual delays in travelling, both by land and
sea, we arrived at Hilo, on the Island Of
Hawaii, from which point parties start ON
their journey TO the famous volcano, XII
lauea the most noted volcano now in ex-
istence Our first view of Hilo bay and
Cocoanut Island was most enchanting.
The land-loclled bay, bordered by cocoanut
trees laden with their brown fruit, the
beautiful color of the water, the city of
Hilo built on the graceful curves, with its
fresh white houses and beautiful vegeta-
ton, together with the bright morning sun,
all combined TO make the scene an eyer-to-
be remembered one.
THE TRIP FROM HILo.
Our party started from Hilo on q Friday
morning at 5:45. We dashed from Hilo on
horseback into the forest-a Veritable trop-
zeal Jungle. On the ohia trees and the loho.
la green ferns hung from almost every
limb, draping The trees with most graceful
festoons. The ieie vine, the birds nests
and ferns beneath the dense underground
combined to make q typical island wood.
We rode through them for nearly seven
miles. too rapidly to take in their full
sun was glancing through them, the picture
was one of surprising beauty. After leav-
ing the woods we came into an entirely
different character of country rough, up
and down vegetation not iuxurious-a few
trees and scattered ferns. Arrived, weary
and worn, at the Halfway House-a wei
come sight-where we rested an hour and
ate our lunch. We remounted at 10 o'clock
and proceeded on our sixteen-mile pilgrim
,f+ 10,
stituted the advance guard, and reached
THE VOLCANO HOUSE
One and a half hours before the other.
Two or three miles of our journey was
through the most magnificent pull ferns,
growing twelve or fifteen feet high, their
waving plumes extending across the road.
Passing through this belt of beauty, we
soon came TO good cantering ground, and
we galloped away until we reached the
Volcano House, too tired to dismount
without assistance. After drinking tea,
almost to intoxication, We looked around
to view our surroundings. The bouse con-
sists of a living room, six sleeping rooms,
dining and cook room. 1t is one of the
kind that shuts out sight and not sound,
and some funny experiences supposed to
be told in confidence found large audi
ence. We learned after the first night that
walls have ears" A grand fireplace
gave out cheer and comfort, for at an alti-
tude of 1000 feet the tropic heat was
moderated. Rocking-chairs, lounges, and
bookcase filled with papers, Offered rest
TO our weary bodies.
LOOKING DOWN IN THE CRATER.
A great disappointment and surprise
awaited me at the crater. Instead of q
mountain sending forth fire, smoke and
lava, | saw looking from the house, pit
500 feet deep, the floor of which is a frozen
sea of lava. At the farther end of this
floor could be seen three furnaces, sur
rounded by castle and cliffs. From such
smoke issued and an occasional CLEAN of
light This was all No bleching forth of
a fiery flood from a mountain side; no
shaking and trembling and rending by I'M
seen forces. a disappointment We took
a walk to the sulphur banks, stepping eau
tiously at first over the steam cracks. How
could we be sure that the earth would not
break up under our feet Strange that
familiarity with even the greatest forces in
nature makes them lose their terror. To
walk over ground broken up into islands,
peninsulas capes and every natural diyis-
ion by the cracks, from six inches 10 a foot
across, from which the steam, hot, sulphu-
reous, comes pouring, gives one the,feeling
that he is tempting the Fates. But suf-
hclently long acquaintance with even such
P4eUODlcud makes 1t seem tame.
THE VOLCANOES FIREWORKS DISPLAY.
Returning to the house we had supper,
after which we sat on the rim of the crater
and watched Madam Pele Goddess of Vol
canol as she lit up the fireworks for the
night. Gradually the furnace began to
assume lurid hue; blush red light
flashed upward, and occasionally flames
appeared. The recent lava flow became
visible as the night darkened. Tongues of
ire were TO be seen creeping along stealth
lily, advancing, impercepdbly moving All
over the floor of the crater here and there
were the bright lines of light plainly defin-
ing the course of the flow.
Sitting on the cliff, Professor jerks, of
Browns University, entertained us with
accounts of the eruptions of Vesuyius and
the homes OF the cliff dwellers the latter
suggested by the similarity of the cliffs
surrounding Kilauea. How strange the
life of those prehistoric people. How strik-
ing the contrast between the past forever
dead and the intensely active present, for
now we seemed to be in the midst of the
creation itself, Nay, not seemed, but we
were
STANDING IN cons WORKSHOP.
Sitting there till we were reminded by
the chillness of the air that we must
move on we drank in deep draughts of
gave out greater homage worship and awe
than ever before. Thousands of times in
my life had | experienced the tenderness
and love of the Creator-in every flower
and child, in every unselfish act, in the
forgiveness and mercy-but here there was
no suggestion of aught but power, over
whelming, grand, awful.
We returned to the house physically ex-
hausted by the days exertions, but men,
oil tnn m nS,,f- Df W
retired, but, in my case, not to sleep. About
1890 the word was passed around that the
new lake was breaking up" upon
which signal the company arose to witness
from the veranda the brilliant illumination
of the heavens, and to see
MADAME PETE IN HER MOST FIERY ROBE
We finally resolved to sleep, but sleep
takes flight with such resolves, and all
night the extreme novelty of the surround
ings made rest fugitive. At last morning
came, and with elastic spirits we gathered
around the table. After breakfast we Wis
tied THE Devils Kitchen" But he re-
scented our too closely prying into the
details of his culinary affairs, and if any
one ventured too far puff of steam greeted
and forced him to retreat.
We next wended our way 10 Kilauea-iki
an extinct crater two miles distant Here
the sides were clothed with verdure from
summit to base, and on the floor the same
black, forbidding mass which characterized
the active crater. Opposite us was what
appeared a roadway, in which the yegeta-
ton was younger than elsewhere ION
inquiry we found that down this path the
lava had poured at a comparatively recent
period, destroying everything in its course,
and that nature had but recently begun to
repair the damage.
PIcNIcKING AMONG VOLCANOES.
Reminded that it was nearly noon. we
returned to the house. Both going and
coming we had feasted on ohelos, finding
them growing in great abundance and
beauty on every hand; we also gathered
some strawberries for lunch. We read and
rested the remainder of the afternnorn r,ra