Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-09-17
AN ACTIVE VOLCANO.
A Description ofthc Eruption of KiIauca.

A Description ofthc Eruption of Kilauea.
A correspondent OF The Hawaiian Ga
Zette gives the following account of re-
visit to KilaUea:
''The 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 a cir
cuitous route up and down over masses of
loose rocks, and possibly only in day
time. 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 | should call them wells.
One of these is where liquid lava was first
seen after its disappearance i'll March.
| This is somewhat irregular in shape, be
ing perhaps thirty feet wide and sixty to
seventy feet long, and not less than one
hundred feet in depth. To obtain a view
of the well, one must go to the very edge
of the well and look over, and this can be
done with safety at only one point. I'm
mediately beneath this point at the bot
tom of the well, but where it could not be
seen with too great a risk, there was an
immense noise and evidence of great ac-
tivity. Over the portion of the bottom
of the we'll that was visible the lava was
hardened, except in one place, where it
could be seen as if it were puffed out and
thrown up little distance every few sec
Onds.
The other well was nearly circular in
shape, perhaps thirty feet in diameter
and one hundred feet in depth. This
could be approached only at one
point, and this point was ON the leewarI
side, SO that the fumes of sulphur dioxide
would allow one to remain there only
few seconds at time. At the bottom of
the well partial cone was formed, per
haps ten feet across, and in this lava was
boiling with intense violence, now and
then throwing up a spray of lava quite
hundred feet to the mouth of the well and
almost into the face of one standing on
the edge and looking over.
The third place where the liquid lava
could be seen was the lake below the west
wall. 1t is possible to get down to the
lake. and get specimens, but it is an eX-
tremely hazardous undertaking. There
are, or We're, t"o iahen here, but they seem
to have merged into each other, the,
activity being confined to the part last
formed. Small lava flows were constant
ly breaking out, and in the evening there
was general breaking up of about one
third of the surface. This lasted only
one or two minutes, but was followed by
quite extensive lava flows. [ saw no
fountains and no cones here. The point
for observing this lake is about 500 or
1000 #. distant from it. One can get on the
edge of the perpendicular wall Immediately
above it $50 or 300 feet, but this is unsafe
rs landslides are constantly taking place
at all points. When l visited this place
two days later. its surface had evidently
risen, and it was more active than when l
saw it before. There were signs of ac-
tiyity in other places but no fire could be
seen. About the middle of July some
lava appeared in the Halemaumau, but
it has not continued in activity. The ac-
tivity of Kilauea is evidently increasing,
and, while the sight at present is well
worth seeing, there is promise of more
in the future"