Daily Honolulu press. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1886, 1886-03-30
VISIT TO THE VOLCANO.
Report Of the Doputation Of Research.

The "art and historic party" con.
sisting of Messrs. Theo. SEVERN, pho
tographic artist representing ]. ]. Will
ans, Dan'l Logan, editor of the Daily
Bnllefih, and the writer, representing
several interests, fastened from Homo
lulu to the scene of Pele's cratic
freaks on learning of the recent disap-
pearance of volcanic activity and fall
ing-in of the lakes at Kilauea on the
night of March 81.
We arrived at the Volcano House
via Punaluu, on the afternoon of the
2Ist instant, in a drizzling ain, and
found the crater and sulphur-banks
completely enveloped in steam-as re-
ported in the PRESS of Saturday last.
During the evening the rain ceased,
but the crater bed and sunken lakes
emitted steam from their thousand
cracks and assures, so much as to OBJ
struct the view of the field The 2ad
opened clear and with much less steam
from the many directions noticed pre-
viously. After breakfast, accompanied
by Mr.. ]. H. Maby, manager of the
Volcanos House, and the native guide,
the party set out for the days observa-
ton by going around to the bluffs on
the west side of the crater for a view
from the most elevated point; then
down onto ledge abreast of Haemau-
mau's ruins, from which bank four ex-
cellent Photographic views were Sc
cured. We then climbed back again
to continue our way southwark, ira
versing the banks of pumice, till we
reached place free of boulders, where
we descended into the crater by jumps
and slides, and made our way to the
pit of destruction and desolation, OBJ
tanning our first near view from the
south edge or bank, near several cones
that form Tor formed) a principal feat
ure of the locality. Here much steam
and heat were observed. To the east
ward of this locality, and for con-
siderable distance to the southwark
the bed of the crater is very much
broken and sunken. This point after
ward proved to have been the most
commanding as to view of the crater's
depth, and the detour around its west
and northern rim, to the northeast por-
ton of where New Lake stood, gave
us an opportunity to approximate the
extent of the vast chasm. In making
this detour we came upon two broken
cones on the western side, which gave
forth much heat but little or no steam
These were found to be connected with
pipes or tunnels running in north
westerly direction from the pit, and
may have been blow-holes during the
time of activity in the lakes, judging
from their shape and encrustations of
what remained of their orifces, but
now they simply emitted white waves
of heat. Both of these cones were
broken into halves, with the southern
half standing. Later observations Of
five others showed breaks in the same
direction in three, while the other two
were broken in more of a northwest
and southeast direction, but still with
the northern portion gone. This may
be coincident only, and yet it may have
an important bearing in aid Of a solu-
ton Of the mysterious disappearance of
lava, especially when coupled with the
fact that the recent rents and issures
run mostly in northwesterly and
southeasterly direction from the Vol
cano.
Continuing our detour, we came to
the front or north rim, abreast of where
Halemaumau stood, and opposite
where we obtained our first brink view.
AS there, so here, our artist secured two
excellent views of its characteristic
depth. 1t is difficult to convey cor
rect idea of this monstrous pit, except
that it is naturally of an inverted-cone
shape, and in extent is of such a size
as would readily admit Punchbowl
turned upside down. From this point
we felt our way cautiously around to
the Little Beggar location, near the
New Lake This had fallen in, or
rather dropped down into the New
Lake section, since the first great break,
but it was upright in position with its
northern half gone. The foating-island
phenomenon of New Lake was also
noticed to have settled down bodily in
the southern part of the lake.
Near this point, the southeast of
New Lake, was the greatest degree of
heat found, and in one of the broken
cones the red glow of molten lava was
seen. In another similar cone not far
distant from it, but where no glow was
seen, shoe thrown in by the guide
blazed in ten seconds. T. G.. T.
To be Continued