The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1889-04-30


be sometimes much below the brink
and at other times boiling over.
Our footing was not more secure
at the edge of the large lake than at
the smaller one and, after a few
minutes gaze over the seething sur
face, we retired to rocky height
adjoining, where more safety was
felt whether it existed or not.
From this height we had a full
view of the huge caldr0n, excepting
the portion nearest to where we had
been standing on the brink. We
were on the windward side, and felt
no Inconvenience from the volcanic
heat; but ON the lee side the hot blast
is not bearable when the wind is of
average strength.
The sun was now sinking toward
the summit of Mauna Lea (long
mountain) and would soon set be-
hind it's immense dome whose top is
nearly 1000 feet above sea level.
On our rocky seat we watch the lava
surf at the glowing sides of the lake
below us; and note the seething yet
sluggish boil of its molten food and
the billowy dash of its waves of fire
against the precipltous rock, which
is slowly being undermined and
again reformed.
In presence OF scenes like these
the soul fills with emotion; the
mind concentrates upon this wonder
of the world; and the Imagination
revels in the sublimity and awful
grandeur which Nature presents
here to the eye, and in the know
ledge that down into these depths of
fire and birthstone is the great un-
known which battles human under
standing regarding its extent of fur
mace, its purpose, its age, and its
conditions.
The sun has now set behind Mauna
Lo0, and the shadow of night is fast
approaching. Our guide produces
his water cauteeu, and we refresh our
selves with rain water rs there are
no springs anywhere in this region.
By the time we finish n repast pro-
vided tor the occasion, darkness has
set in and a pyrotechnic display has
begun on the lake. The fiery glow
beneath tihges over hanging cloud
with strange radiance, family "a
first; buJ growing gradually strong
er, re,lder and brighter, the heaven,
reflect the active fires in all theil
changes of outline, n: their hrilli
ancy, and all The weird aspect thai
night lends tn terrestrial fire. Ihl
surface OF the lake seems TO rise il
glowing volume, and fountains anc
Jets of fire burst from incandescent
depths. Fiery sparks fly upward ii
more golden colors and are better
seen than by day; the glow Of The
{ rocky sides of the lake shows ;
larger surface of red heat, and wha
was somhre and lead-colorcd whel
we arrived, is now blended in TIL
: golden and crimson glitter of th'
brighter portions. The smaller lax
to the north also asserts its presenc
} in ii similar reflection on the sky
anu u lStiI X SlON nun ilo oOSoih
a team-holes fash lurrid glare o
V the surrounding shadow of night
t and the caves Of IIalemaumau ~
/, lighted up as if entertainments wer
1 being held within their portals. Th
d whole scene is weird, solemn, gram
n and terrible.
We now light our lanterns an
|, return by the track we came; anC
d although we nave to walk in th
: gloom and across 4 recent lava flow
S the lanterns guide our steps to wher
e our horses are waiting and we inall
II return to the Volcano House at . |
l. m. The distance to lIalemauma
d from the Volcano House is . mile
Ie being ! mile down to the floor {
ic the crater and u miles across I'll
l. lava rock to Halemauh.au or Soul
z. Lake. The length of the crate
p from east to west, is said TO be
1t miles; and the wldta from mort
n TO south 3 miles"
J. A great deal more of interestir
lg information, concerning the su
I'd roundings of Kilauea, is also give
ne in the pamphlet; but limited spa'
he does not permit it in onr column
Z