Daily Honolulu press. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1886, 1886-04-03

the south to considerable distance
beyond its limits, as mapped by Brig
ham in 1865, and gives the crcumfer-
ence of Kilauea to-day as probably not
less than twelve miles.
The rush of the lava from Halemau-
mau drained off New Lake, which, in
its deepest part, seems but about $50
feet in depth. AT the withdrawal OF
this bed of molten lava connecting the
two lakes, the roadway portion of the
bed Of the crater which bridged the
two dropped down into the chasm,
with its incline toward the north and
east, leaving its highest and most
abrupt break on the Halemaumau side.
A peculiar feature of the chasm is that
what at distance seems to be perpen-
dicular, solid walls, is the most burnt
out sections, a near view showing the
material to be bank of r1ddish ash,
or sand nature, while the most crumb-
ling and shelving porticn of its sides is
the lava rock masses OF various sizes, but
mostly having a decidedly burnt-out
appearance. Ledge after ledge OF rock
and debris have fallen, and they are
continually falling, until the view is OBJ
structed so that it is impossible to see
the point of greatest depth. This fact,
doubtless, gave rise to the report that
''you could not see the bottom" which
is true, but not in the sense that it is
bottomless. This general appearance
of lifeless ruins and debris with no sign
OF fusibility among the rocks of the
fallen mass gave the impression, as
noted in my first paper, that Halemau-
mau would not again be the scene of
volcanic activity. Halemaumau will
likely be the receptacle of the future
lava flows from active spots to the east
and to the south that may gather suf-
ficient force for new outbreak ere
long, as has been done on previous
occasions.
On the 24th and again on the 25th
| descended the crater for further Oh
servations. At the last visit, in company
with Mr. ]. S. Emerson, of the Govern
ment Survey Department, we exactly
reversed the order OF my first course OF
travel, on Monday, the 22d. During
these visits l found the contour of the
lakes constantly enlarging, and the sur
face or floor of the crater adjacent to
the places of heat constantly changing.
Near the edge of the chasm the floor
was changing and breaking away, re-
quiring more caution in our steps of
Investigation. A few signals were
erected for future points of observation;
but the difficulty, and may say the
impossibility, of near approach to any
part of the rim made the days trip far
from satisfactory for our immediate
aims, yet the observations and dis
coveries opened up a new train of ideas
respecting the probable direction of the
volcanic activity in Kilauea. At these
subsequent visits the cone wherein our
guide threw his shoe was found to have
caved in to a considerable extent, re-
vealing tube or tunnel about ten feet
in diameter at the farthest break, but
increasing toward the lakes, with which
it was evidently connected. The fun
mel ran in northeasterly and south
westerly direction. The eastern part
of the tube still emitted considerable
heat.
Respecting the shocks Of earthquake
reported by MIR. Maby and others on
the 9th instant, fully agree with the
already expressed theory, that the
shocks were occasioned by the falling
masses of rock. The natural, first i'm
preston to the mind would be that the
shocks occasioned the rents and the
falling in of the banks and bluffs of the
lakes; but visiting them reveals a suf-
icient mass of fallen rocks to cause
and account for not only the shocks
and reports recorded by Mr.. Maby at
the Volcano House, but to cause earth
tremors which could be felt at Kappa
pala. The shocks of these falling cliffs
were doubtless sufficient to produce all
the fssures SO far reported, and which
are confined, / believe, within a four
mile radius across the crater Of the Vol
cano / am led to this view from the
fact that the shocks except those re-
ported at Kapapala- were local, where
as an earthquake, or series of earth
quakes, sufficient to hurl such masses
of rocks from their beds would have
extended their vibrations with as much
or more severity than occurred in 1868.
But the mystery still remains, where
has the immense body of liquid lava
that filled these lakes and tunnels gone
to?
Interesting as Kilauea naturally is in
a state Of activity, this periodic change
will give it zest to tourists, and should
enhance considerably its interest to
scientists and students Of nature.
T. G. THRUM
Honolulu, March 80, 1886.