The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1886-10-20
AN ACTIVE VOLCANO,
A Description OF thu Eruption oi
kilaucu.

A Description OF tina Eruption az
Kiinuea.
A correspondent Of The Hdwaiidn
Gazette gives the following account OF
recent visit to Kilauca:
"Thc molten lava Is visible in three
different places, all of which l visited.
Two of the three places are quite Diff
cult Of access, the approach being cir
cuit0,n route mp and down over masses
Of loose rocks, and possibly 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 i
should call them wells. One of these
is where liquid lava was iirstseen after
its first disappearance in March. This
is somewhat irregular in shape, being.
perhaps, thirty feet wide and sixty to
seventy-fve feet long, and not less than
one hundred feet in depth. To obtain
view Of the bottom, one must 90 to
the very verge of the well and look
over and this can be done with safety
at only one point Immediately be-
meath this point at the bottom OF the
well, but where IL could not be seen
without too great risk. there was an
immense noise and evidence OF intense
activity. Over the portion Of the bot
tom of the well that was visible the
lava was hardened, except in one place,
where 1t could be seen rs it was pulled
out and thrown up little distance
every few seconds.
"The other well was nearly circular
in shape, perhaps thirty feet in diane
ter and one hundred feet deep. This
could be approached 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
8 few seconds at time AT the bot
tom of tho well partial cone was
formed. perhaps ten feet across, and in
this lava was boiling with intense VIC
lence, now and then throwing up
spray of lava quite q hundred feet to
the mouth of the well and almost into
the face Of one standing on the edge
and looking over.
Tho third place where the liquid
lava could be seen was in the lake be-
low the west wall. 1t is possible to
&c: down to the edge Of this lake. and
get specimens, but it is an extremely
hazardous undertaking. There are, or
were, two lakes here. but they seem t.
have merged into each other, the sctv-
ity being confined to the part last form
ed. Small lava flows were constantly
breaking out. and in the evening there
was a general breaking up of about
one-third the surface. This lasted only
one or two minutes, but was followed
by quito extensive lava flows. | saw
no fountains and no cones here. The
best point for observing this lake !,
800 or 1000 feet distant from it. One
can get on the edge of the perpendicu-
lar wall Immediately above it $50 or 200
feet, but this is unsafe, as landslides are
constantly taking place ut all points.
When / visited this place two days
later. its surface had evidently risen,
and it was moro active than when ! saw
it before. There were signs of activity
in other places, but no fire could be
seen. About the middle Of July some
lava appeared in the Halemaumau, but
1t has not continued in activity. The
activity Of Kilauea is evidently increas-
ing. and, while the sight at present is
well worth seeing there is promise Of
much more in the future"