The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-05-09
THE HAwAIIAELAKEs OF FIRE.
Extinction of the Greatest Volcano
in the World-A Notable Erup-
ti0n Of the Past.

| islands, to the effect that there was no
more fire in the crater of Kilanea, II
true. means that the largest active vol
cano on the planet has been snuffed
out. The new lake Of molten lava OF
Haleemaumau. which Is mentioned as
having disappeared. has not been in
existence many years. and the period Of
volcanic activity and earthquakes.
which accompanied its formation, i'm
mediately proceeded the last great erup-
ton from the neighboring crater on the
summit of Mauna Loa in November OF
1856.
The island of Hawaii, which is the
south-rnost of the Hawaiian or Sand
wich group, is in the form OF two great
twin peaks. NJ una Loa and Mauna
Kea. each OF which rises 10 an elevation
of nearly IA. 600 feet. On the summit OF
Mauua Loa is a crater which IS inter
rnittcntIy active. On the slope of Mauna
l.oa is the crater of kilauea lake OF
f1rel. which Is referred TO IN the dis
patch. Kilauea is unique among the
volcanoes OF the world IL is situated
IN great pit in the side OF Mauna Los,
200 feet deep and three miles in diam
eter, the walls OF which are almost
perpendicular, so they can only be
descended where zigzag pathways have
been made. The lakes of fire which
make up the volcano of kilauea are in
the southern end of the pit. There is
at all times more or less volcanic activ-
ity In these pits, and they are constan-
tlv changing in form and position. In
The ordinary condition of the volcano
people can descend the sides of the
great pit and walk over the floor OF the
lakes. The floor is as black as coal and
80 hot that II scorches sole leather.
There are great seams in il at intervals
from which issue steam and sulphurous
smoke.
The shores Of the lakes themselves
are nigh and steep. One can go close 10
the e0ge on the windward side, and by
holding a hat in front of the face or
wearing a mask. peep over at the infer
nal bubbling which is going on in the
abyss. The surface of the lakes. when
quiet, is covered with thin layer of
black, newly hardened lava. The sur
face Is never quiet long nor over its
whole extent. A pulsating mound
makes its appearance at some point and
swells by slow degrees until cracks
appear running from the apex. The
6ery molten lava appears yelling up
through these cracks; the layer oser
the Suoace breaks into great cakes. and
lifting on the edge, these cakes diSap-
pear and are swallowed up by the red
liquid underneath, which boils and
bubbles and sputters in the vent il has
found, throwing mp spray which is
caught bv the wind and spun out "a
fine as silk. In this condition it Is
found in the crevices vi the lava on the
banks. looking much like lunches OF
blonde hair. The native Hawaiians
term this stuff Pele's hair, Pele being
the goddess supposed 10 inhabit this
Hale mau-mau blouse of Everlasting
Fire) Natives who visit the spot throw
coins or edibles into the lake TO appease
the wrath OF the goddess. The high
banks OF the lakes are constantly break
ing off in great masses and being swal-
lowed up in the secthing canlGron
below. In periods OF great activity Ths
surface OF the lakes rises ana spine
times ovsrfows the bands, when long
stream Of lava creeps over the iioor ui
the great pit, disposing itself IN smooth
folds like giant tafiy.
KiIauea is 4,OOO feet above the sea
level, and is aoout 20 miles from the
crater OF the summit OF Mauna Lea.
which Is over 9 600 feet higher. Ye;
there seems 10 be some connection be-
tween the summit crater and the vent
in the side of the mountain. During
the summer months OF 1850 there was
grea; activity in kuauea and several
earthquakes on the island of Hawaii.
The new fire lake OF Haiemaumau,
which the telegram says has disap-
peared. made its appearance during
this period. One night in November
OF that year an eruption broke out on
the summit OF hauna Loa with a loud
explosion. and the stream Of lava came
pouring down the mountain sides IN
floods. The country through which IL
came was Wild, and impeneirable tropi-
cal forest. In the frat nights after the
eruption broke out the stream could be
seen from far out AZ sea look ng like
fiery serpent lying on the mountain
side. AS the months vent on the upper
part of the stream cooled on the surface
and crusted over, serving as conduit
10 carry the liquid 10 the terminus Of
the How, where II bIOke out aud pushed
It's way more slowly. The flow Of lava
continued into the summer OF ISL.
when il stopped. about Z quart Of y
mile from the little tropical town o.
HilO. having eaten its way % miles
the forest. which was utterly
swallowed IN in lis path- 10 such flow
of lava had come from Mauna Lpa
since the great flow OF 1889, which
reached tie sea. Two eruptiOns SO
closely followed IS that of ESQ and the
one which seems 10 be fCre old by the
pasnrneua IL kilauea would be pnprc-
sIfTISG ~ THE FfEzY LAKE JUST BEFOEE
II DISAPPEARED.
a LETT r received in Poughkeepsie (
rom Charles VI. Royle, vice president 1
IF lie Brush Electric Light Company,
,ays MS. Ro~ley, my son Charles.
and myself. with seven other ladies ard
gentlemen from australia. visited the
treat volcano known as Xiiauea. on the
stand of Hawaii, 500 miles from Homo
uIu and nearly 500 miles from San
We left Honolulu by steamer,
md after stormy voyage OF tTo days
anded in Hawaii and thence went on
mules over thirty silies vi lava beds
lufil We reached the crater * kiauea.
low 1000 feet above the sea We
descended II night irtO the crater and