The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-04-01
A TRIP TO THE VOLCANO,
Observations about the Caldera.

Reaching the edge of the lava, at
the southwest corner of the main
bluffs, we have to climb up to It
where once it was gained by descend
ing over a cliff. Falling rain makes
the whole surface steam, so that at
times it is difficult to keep the track
stepped out by the guide. However,
with our heels crunching through
occasional thin crusts of the con-
gealed lava waves, we steadily plod
our winding way over the black
mounds and steaming crevices. With
q steady ascent over terribly
rugged incline, the brink of the
awful chasm is reached just over
looking the site of Halemaumau.
Gaping cracks near the edge mark
off large slivers of the cliff ready to
tumble into the chaotic depth hum
dreds of feet below. Mr.. SEVERN
| plants his camera on the treacherous-
looking margin, the outer leg of the
tripod slips on the rounded shell,
and he is to be excused for display
ing signs of trepidation as he read
justs the apparatus and stands but
yard from the jaws of death to
take his sight. While this is being
done, the guide from the rear utters
an exclamation, then displays to our
turning gaze his stick blazing from
the fire in a deep crack. We stand
for a few moments regarding the
sublime ruins-trying to "take it
all in," as Mr.. Thrum says, but, as
the advantages are on the side of
the Volcano for taking us all in, it
is inexpedient to daily long with
danger. Where Halemaumau was
is a steep conical pit, as near as we
can judge four or five hundred feet
deep. AS the cones and cliffs that
have collapsed stood some two hun
dred feet above the summit of the
lava field, the catastrophe of March
9th involved the crash of fabric
700 feet high, with ground plan
of about four miles square. Such
a stupendous precipitation of rock
may well be regarded as sufficient to
have produced the quaking of the
earth, instead of being result of
the latter. Had the earthquakes
been the agents of what we now see,
their effect would doubtless have
been felt over much wider area
than was the case. Working round
toward the west side of the crater q
sulphur-streaked dome is reached,
with an opening on one side in an
irregular circle of about twenty-five
feet in diameter, revealing a great
cavern of about fifty feet square at
the bottom. The heat waves issuing
from this so-called blow-hole are so
vivid as to give the impression Of
white flames, and as we stand on
the edge of the overhanging piece of
roof that remains the hot blast of
air dries our clothing. About twenty
yards away stands 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-ir
rock and stones sloping up to a tri-
angular embrasure that opens out tc
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 q thickness Of
shell that to some extent disarm'
fear Of our breaking through into ;
bed of burning lava. Where th'
crust is thin enough to give way tt
the tread, we find stronger shell .
few inches below it. The thickness
. of the lava ranges from quarte
inch to 18 inches. From over th,
margin of the New Lakes fall in
tense heat waves make the al
vibrate violently. At this point al
that is left of the Little Beggar coul'
7 be seen far below where it used t
rear its head so prominently in tn
, fiery scene-one-half of stout Law
cone standing on end, with the in
terror section thoroughly preserved
t At the base of where it stood ther
{ is the mouth of cavern, from whlc
p q passage to the New Lake could b
traced by its long and regular conve
, exterior. This showed those tw
phenomena to have been connected
t A vast ridge of debris reaches froI
f their ruins to the opening of the p
n of Halemaumau. On the top of tn
? cliff, near by, is a peculiar-lookin
pillar, forming an image like
G mother holding child in arms, eac
! adorned with a gorgeous crown {
= birthstone shining like yellow golt
" A few yards back from the brink
large cavern with a lateral opeI
~ ing, half of the roof and one side {
e lava dome having fallen. w