The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-04-02
A TRIP TO THE VOLCANO
Observations about the Caldera.

Having made the tour of more
than half the environing cliffs of
the crater, we take seats for a
brief rest on some brick-shaped
blocks of lava, at the point where
the tourists trail from the Volcano
House was broken off by the grand
collapse. How fortunate it was that
there were no visitors to the crater
that eventful night, is forcibly i'm
pressed on the mind when Mr.. Maby
traces out the further course of the
path in the awful wreck below. AS
we had obtained q very satisfactory
view of the cavity and environs
from above, it was deemed best not
to attempt descent into the abyss
with its inevitably treacherous foot
holds and possibly overpowering
gases, not to mention the peril of
falling rock and stones. Therefore,
after resting, the march was taken
up across the caldera for home.
This gave bit of experience doubt
lessly common to all visitors to XII
lauea for the first time. What
looked from distance to be
smooth field of lava, presenting
delightful walking surface, was a
veritable sea of hills, their crests
and cavities wearing an endless
variety of knobs, twists, crevices
and contortions. The trail winds in
and out, up and down, among the
hummocks, half the time the pedes-
trian being out of sight of both the
point of departure and the destina-
tion. In fact, the whole remaining
surface of the lava field is only II
little less diversified than the portion
rising to the recent eruptive points.
The two miles and half of such
walking to the shore of this con-
gealed sea make healthful suffi-
cheney of that exercise on top of the
laborious explorations above des-
cr,bcd. 1 could think of nothing
more nearly like the lava field in
form than northern river after an
ice shove, except that the heaped
cakes of ice take on more angular
shapes than this material. How
ever, the hard walking is not over
yet. The Volcano House has to be
reached by zigzag road over the
bluff, some six hundred feet high
(guessed). Halfway up a large
terrace is crossed, which looks like
the result of great subsidence long
enough ago to permit the breaches
to be hidden in dense vegetation.
Wearily climbing the hill, sight
worth making the Volcano trip to
see comes in view. On the top OF
the perpendicular bluff over the CAL
dera, just beyond the point where
the subsistence mentioned begins, q
large area is pouring forth volumes
of steam, giving the appearance Of
an immense city block on fire, with
white smoke rolling up from the
roof before the flames break out. II
was the grandest exhibition from
Pele's boilers seen during our visit
and lasted all the rest of the even
ing, although not presenting Sc
striking an appearance when seer
from above as from below its level
After our return to the house, thicl
weather prevented any further OBJ
servation of the crater that day. On
the following morning matters wer,
very little changed. The smok,
seemed to be more generally diffuseo
, over the mouth of the crater, as i
the fire was gaining ground, Will
the steam from the whole calderi
; appeared to be diminishing. N
conclusion can be formed iron
| these symptoms, however, for bot
smoke and steam have varied mucl
from day to day since the eruptiv
forces suspended operations.
(IO be cOntinued.)