Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-11-04
HAWAuS LAVA LAKES
Some Results of the Volcanic Eruptions In
the Sandwich Islands.

The molten lava is visible in three
different places, all of which visited.
Two of the three places are quito diff
cult of access, the approach being cir
cuitous route up and down over masses
of loose rocks. and possible only in the
daytime. These two places are quite
near each other, in the neighborhood of
what was formerly the new lake. though
some little distance south. They can
hardly be called .'lakes." should call
them wells. One of these is where
liquid lava was first seen after its first
disappearance in March. This is some
what irregular in shape, being, perhaps.
80 feet wide~and go to % feet long and
not less than 100 feet in depth. To OBJ
tain view OF the bottom one must go
to the very verge Of the well and look
over, and this can only be done with
safety at only one point. Immediately
beneath this point at the lotion of the
well, but where it could lot be seen
without too great a risk, there was an
immense noise and evidence OF intense
activity. Over the portion of tie bot
tom of the we'll that was visible the
lava was hardened, except in one place,
where it could be seen as it was pulled
out and thrown up little distance
every few seconds.
The other we'll was nearly circular in
shape, perhaps thirty feet in diameter
and 100 feet deep. This could be APP
preached only at one point, and this
point was on the leeward side, so that
the fumes of sulphur dioxide would allow
one to remain there only a few seconds
at time. At the bottom of the well a
partial cone was formed. perhaps ten
feet across, and IN this lava was boiling
with intense violence, now and then
throwing up a spray of lava quite q
hundred feet 10 the mouth of the well
and almost into the face of one stand
ing on the edge and looking over.
The third place where the liquid lava
could be seen was in the lake below the
west wall. II is possible to get down to
the edge of this lake and get specimens,
but it is an extremely hazardous under
taking. There are or were two lakes
here, but they seem to have merged into
each other, the activity being confined
to the part last formed. Small Laws
flows were constantly breaking out, ano
in the evening there was Il general
breaking up of about one third the sur
face. This lasted only one or two min
utcs. but was followed by quite cxten
siye lava flows. saw no fountains anC
no cones here. The best point for OBJ
serving this lake is 800 or 1000 feet dis
tant from it. One can get on the edge
of the perpendicular wall Immediately
above it $50 or 200 feet. but this is un
safe, as landslides are constantly taking
place at all points. When | visited THU
lake two days later its surface had evi
IDENTITY risen, and it was more activ,
than when | saw it before. There wer'
signs of activity in other places, but M
fire could be seen. About the middle o
July some lava appeared in Halemau
mau, but it has not continued in actiy
ity. The activity of Klauea is evidentl,
increasing, and, while the sight at pres
ent is well worth seeing, there is pro
mise of even much more in the future
-HdUdiiail Gazette.