The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-06-30
HALEMAUMAU ACTIVE.
The Fires Break Out I'm the OLD Pit
A Grand Display Looked For.
VOLCANO HOUSE, June 26th.


The fire is back in Kilauea. For some
time the smoke and every other indica-
ton of renewed activity has been in
creasing. Last night the smoke issuing
from the break down was so brightly IL
Illuminated by the fires below that with
one of the guides | started to go down
to it at 80 o'clock. At about 8 O'Clock
we reached the edge of the pit and found
the fire burning brightly in the center OF
Halemaumau, which exists now as
rugged cone rising in the western portion
of the break down, the new lake being
in the eastern half. The fire in Hale
maumau was very bright, but as the
upper edge of the cone cut off the view
of the bottom from us as we stood on
| the northwest edge of the break down,
no liquid lava could be seen.
On the east rim of Halemaumau there
is bright cone forming, and near it
dense clouds of steam and sulphur pour
/ out.
In the depression of the east half of
the Halemaumau hill, close to where it
Joins the sunken peninsula dividing the
great western break down Gin which IS
Halemaumau) from the eastern cavity
Gin which is the remains OF the New
Lake, there is a bright active cone in
which is seen the molten lava. The last
mentioned cone is on the spot where the
most intense heat has been observed by
visitors during the past fortnight. Here
! Il L. could no
cooling and growing black, and then
again glowing and brilliant.
From our point of observation, directly
opposite Halemaumau, the distance TO
the various fires was about one-fourth OF
a mile, the pit between being filled with
low broken rocks and debris. We
watched the fires until 9 O'Clock, and
noticed the alternate action of the active
points, one body of fire glowing brightly
while the other cooled down, and so on,
alternately.
In going and returning we passed over
the hot cracks, near the edge OF the
break down, seen by the party up here a
week ago. These cracks were red hot at
that time to within three feet of the sur
face. Last night their edges were bright
red up to the surface. This pale red
color increased to brilliant white heat
two feet down, and it seemed as though
the liquid lava underneath must be
slowly forcing itself up in the cracks, as
it has done in many other places in for
mer times in the flow of the crater.
There is every reason for believing that
when we visit the crater again, as We in
tend to do tomorrow, we will be able to
reach the edge of Halemaumau cone and
look into its depths.
The weather has been very fine for a
week past, with occasional showers and
some mist at night.
The following letters appeared in last
evenings Bulletin" confirmatory OF
our correspondents
+ Hon. s. O.. Wilder-Sir: Last even
ing the crater of Kilauea aWoke from its
z semi-torpid state and burst forth with
the activity of former days. The reflec-
ton is exceedingly bright, and it could
be plainly seen through the gap IN the
trees while coming up on the keauhOu
road. The lava has rushed back with
great violence into Halemaumau proper,
and was distinctly seen by Mr.. F. l..
Clarke and one of our guides, who de-
scended into the crater last night. 1t
was bubbling and gushing, boiling and
raging, as if the goddess Pele had been
disturbed in her slumber and was vexed.
I remain yours truly, etc.
j. II. MABY,
Manager OF WiIder's 5. 5. Co.'S Volcano
House.
Crater of Kilauea, June Goth.
Editor "Bulletin": The fire at Hale
maumau has until now shown tendency
to fool our expectations, and we have
been somewhat disappointed, but the old
madam seems now TO think that We
have been waiting long enough, and
shows real business. As you know, it
has been smoking heavier and heavier,
steadily increasing all the time, and it
has been fire for the last month or so,