Daily Honolulu press. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1886, 1886-04-30
AN IDEAL VOLCANO TRIP.
Notes and Narratives En- Route.
Ill.

Readers OF the PRESS are already
familiar with the time and manner of
Madame Pele's retirement, for season,
from the stage OF volcanic action, and
my observations at the crater have also
been given. 1t is purposed in this
second series of papers to deal with
other, and more general features of the
trip to the crater or caldera, of
Kilauea.
Language fails to adequately convey
a correct idea of this wonderful and
immense pit Able and scientific pens
have dealt with the subject, and yet
there is but one universal expression of
surprise, by all visitors to Kilauea, at
the grand, sombre immensely spread
out before them. / seemed to have
forgotten this in the twenty-three years
that had elapsed since my former visit,
though familiar with various published
accounts since; for | stood on the
bank Of Kilauea amazed at the expanse
of volcanic desolation within its crater
of some twelve miles circumference.
The bed or floor Of the crater | found
much higher than in former years, sue
cessiye oyerflows, or outbreaks at the
lakes having raised it gradually for
years past Especially was this notice
able at the farthest end Of the crater
where recent flows from Halemaumau
had brought it up almost to level
with the sand and pumice banks on the
southeast side. The vast chasm Of
fallen Halemaumau and New Lake,
with their sunken adjacent banks and
cliffs but intensified the picture Of
ruins; and the distant columns of
smoke and steam emerging therefrom
arose like silent witnesses of departed
greatness.
The days spent in examinations Of
different parts ofthe crater, its assures,
sulphur banks, and fern glens, as also
the adjacent woods to the north sped
by only too quickly to surfeit our party
with its varied attractions. The weather
for the most part was delightful, the
mornings being clear and bright, and
giving us metropolis-hedged mortals the
rare vision of Mauna Loa in its mantle
of snow. The wind was southerly
during our stay, and toward
evening mist and rain clouds would
gather but clear again during the
night
Much has been written and said rel
alive to the crater and its constant
changes, but it takes time to do it,
as tourists would say--to thoroughly
understand this. This knowledge is
not to be gained by hasty visit, nor
serveral visits, but Kilauea can only be
known by carefully watching and study
ing various points of interest to under
stand their relative bearing on some
discovered or suggested question of
volcanic phenomena. On the last day
of my visit portion of the time was
spent in examining the banks and
lodges to the southwest of the crater,
with its beds of sand, pumice and
gravel. Three well defined terraces of
this material were observed, the rock
or cliffs, as if once forming the north
west walls of the crater being easily
traced. Successive layers of the finest
sand, evidently the washings of older
Lodges and banks of pumice above
and beyond, were found in fissure
enlarged during the recent earthquake
shocks, which runs from the south
west edge of the crater in the lowest
bank, or terrace, in a southwest di-
rection, showing depth of some fif
teen feet and width varying from ten
feet to crevice. Through this section,
or terrace, the cracks were numerous
and the ground very spongy to the
tread, though not SO much as in the
pumice banks in the south, or farther
end of the crater itself. Now, why this
peculiar formation at this point, if it
does not indicate successive periods of
subsistence and changing activity east
ward, and why is 1t that the beds of
pumice should all be in the southern
locality with none at all to the north
ward2 1t strikes me that the prevail
ence of northerly winds is not suf-
icient answer, for Pele's hair, a much
lighter material, is often found to wind
ward,
From observations in going and
coming, have no hesitancy in com
mending days trip around the west
ern rim of the crater to the south, and
return by way Of the lakes across the
crater to the Volcano House. If there
is activity in the crater, or if quiescent
at the time, the elevated views OBJ
tanned from the high west banks sur
pass that of any other point The
climb out of the crater, after long de-
tour journey is severe to parties unused
to long tramps, but the ascent can be
made comfortably by frequent restings
as the winding path brings one to oc-
casional levels, thus relieving the
fatigue of what otherwise would make
a severe journey
A visit to the sulphur banks, short
distance from the Volcano House, is q
natural one for all to make, not only
for examination of the beds of sui
phur, but also the numerous steam
cracks in the vicinity, some of which
emit their noiSome yapors with much