The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-04-08

IOoi t1dJ TeildlHS Une nOU DlaSC Oh
air dries our clothing. About twenty
yards away stands a gnarled dome
about the same size, similarly deco
rated with sulphurous deposits but
unbroken. Clambering on amongst
huge mounds and hummocks, full of
cracks emitting great heat, we come
to large pit, having perpendicular
and ragged-edged cliffs toward us,
with an enormous heap of fallen-in
rock and stones sloping up to a tri-
angular embrasure that opens out to
the gulf into which the New Lake
has caved. Going on toward the
north side another broken dome is
encountered, with strong indications
of fire underneath. These disrupted
fire bubbles show thickness of
shell that to some extent disarms
fear of our breaking through into
bed of burning lava. Where the
crust is thin enough to give way to
the tread, we find stronger shell a
few inches below it. The thickness
of the lava ranges from a quarter
inch to 18 inches. From over the
margin of the New Lakes fall in
tense heat waves make the air
vibrate violently. At this point all
that is left of the Little Beggar could
be seen far below where it used to
rear its head so prominently in the
fiery scene-one-half of a stout lava
cone standing on end, with the in
terror section thoroughly preserved.
At the base of where it stood there
is the mouth of a cavern, from winch
passage to the New Lake could be
traced by its long and regular convex
exterior. This showed those two
phenomena to have been connected.
A vast ridge of debris reaches FROM
their ruins to the opening of the pit
of Halemaumau. On the top of the
cliff, near by, is peculiar-looking
pillar, forming an image like a
mother holding child in arms, each
adorned with gorgeous crown of
birthstone shining like yellow gold.
A few yards back from the brink is
a large cavern with lateral OPEN
ing, half of the roof and one side of
lava dome having fallen. We
descend on the PROSTATE tiles to
look in, but only the guide hazards
entering. Shading his face from
the intense heat he approaches q
crimson pool of molten lava, that is
visible from the outside, and losses
a used-up sandal into it. The
leather takes fire instantaneously,
blazing fiercely until consumed.
Among the peculiarities of the lava
field was deposit of white SUBJ
stance in streaks inside some of the
cracks. 1t tasted like soda, but
although the veins were half as
thick as pencil they fell into
almost impalpable powder when it
was attempted to break off speci-
mems.
Having made the tour of more
than half the environing cliffs of
the crater, we take seats for
brief rest on some brick-shaped
blocks of lava, at the point where
the tourists trail from the Volcano
House was broken off by the grand
collapse. How fortunate it was that
there were no visitors to the crater
that eventful night, is forcibly i'm
pressed on the mind when Mr.. Maby
traces out the further course of the
path in the awful wreck below. AS
we had obtained a very satisfactory
view of the cavity and environs
from above, it was deemed best not
to attempt descens into the abyss
with its inevitably treacherous foot
holds and possibly overpowering
gases, not to mention the peril of
falling rock and stones. Therefore,
after resting, the march was taken
up across the caldera for home.
This gave bit of experience doubt
lessly common to all visitors to XII
lauea for the first time. What
looked from distance to be
smooth field of lava, presenting
delightful walking surface, was a
veritable sea of hills, their crests
and cavities wearing an endless
variety of knobs, twists, crevices
and contortions. The trail winds in
and out, up and down, among the
hummocks, half the time the pedes-
trian being out Of sight of both the
point of departure and the destina-
ton. In fact, the whole remaining
surface of the lava field is only a
little less diversified than tile portion
rising.to the recent eruptive points.
The two miles and a half of such
walking to the shore of this con-
gealed sea make healthful suffi-
cheney of that exercise on top Of the
laborious explorations above des-
cribed. could think of nothing
more nearly like the lava field in
form than northern river after an
ice shove, except. that the heaped
| cakes of ice take on more angular