The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-12-22
and effects of Volcanic action as Kilauea.
EARTHQUAKE WAVES.

EARTHQUAKE WAVES.
During the recent earthquake in New
Zealand, it was stated by observers that
| the ground was seen to rise and fall at
| least a foot, which was stoutly contra
| dicted In public lecture by a scientist,
| who declared that such an undulatlng
movement of the ground would destroy
every dwelling in Christchurch. This
movement is called an earthquake wave,
| and usually follows the shake, being evil
| IDENTIFY caused by it, and very closely re-
sembles the swell of the ocean in calm.
| Once, while living in Kau, L had good
opportunity of Witnessing one, while
standingi in an open field, where the waves
which followed the shock, travelled over
the surface as distinctly as have seen
the ocean sWelis follow each other, and
| the distance between the ridges and
| hollows could not have been less than
one foot, each following the other In rapid
| succession for one or two minutes after
the shock. Mr. Charles n. Spencer and
| Mr. w IF. Pogue, who have both resided
] in Kau, Hawaii, confirm my observa-
| tions. The latter also states that water
! in his cemented cistern was splashed
| fifteen or twenty inches upon the side
walls, above the usual level OF the water,
| though the cistern sustained no injury
| At the same time, half-filled pans stand
| ing on shelves were emptied of all the
! contents without being thrown OFT the
| shelves This would indicate that earth
/ quake waves do not possess the destruc-
| tive force OF the shock which precedeS
and causes them.
In looking over the three volumes of
| Records which are now in the hotel,
regret to find that many of the old
sketches of the crater and OF the roadside
| scenes and scenery have been taken from
I -Iclo faX win Crh
in some instances, and mutilated in
others Pictures drawn in the book
about the time of Captain Dutton's
! several visits there in 1881 or 2 have been
taken by parties who deserve to be
| branded as thieves. This has compelled
the resident manager to provide special
sketch book which is kept under lock and
key. The three volumes referred to,
date back to 1855; but there were two
volumes filled prior to that, which were
the property of Mr.. Benz. Pitman, at that
| time its proprietor. / understand that
| these old volumes are now in the United
| States, and if they are to be found, they
should be solicited by the Hawaiian
Government, to be placed in the Homo
lulu Library. They can be of very little
! use to the present possessors, while here
! they would be of permanent and increas-
ing value for reference.
Mr.. Maby has recently provided an
album, which he proposes to fill with
| photograph views, g by inches) of
which he already has a few fine ones.
/ taken by Mr.. Williams and Mr.. SEVERN.
| There have been over hundred differ
ent photos taken of Kilauea during the
past forty years, and it is to be hoped
that copies of some of the older as we'll as
of more recent ones may be furnished for
this album. One of the finest now in
existence was taken by DIR. Stangenwald
| in 1851, and when l saw it in Hilo, five
! years ago, it apparently was in as good
state of preservation as when taken. It
possesses value as showing the appear
ance of the crater at that time. Another
suggestion may not be out of place in
! this connection-that the Wilder Steam
ship Company, who are at present p-o-
prietors of the hotel and crater, furnish
| their resident manager with apparatus
and material to take views whenever ex-
traordinary outbreaks occur at the crater
or on Mauna Loa. Usually these last
| but few days, and are entirely lost,
unless some provision is made to secure
and preserve them as records of public
interest.
I cannot close this sketch without
reference to the kind attentions of Mr..
| and Mrs. Maby of the Volcano hotel to
travellers visiting the place. This is
attested by numerous entries in the
record book and by my own experience.
It is a resort where persons seeking rest
for week or two will not only find every
| convenience of home, but cool bracing
climate, with the thermometer ranging
from so deg. to Is deg, which cannot fail
to invigorate ones constitution quite as
much as a sea voyage to San Francisco.
III. M. WHITNEY.
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