The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-11-12
HAWAII'S HERITAGE.
Volcanic Born the Fires Yet Remain
Unquenched.

Volcanic Born the Fires Yet Remain
Unquenched..
One, of the many thousands of tourists,
who has made the pleasant holiday trip
between Honolulu and San Francisco in
the floating palaces of the Oceanic
Steamship Co., and a gentleman versed
IN the science of geology, writes thus OF
the natural wonders of the Hawaiian
Islands. In a late communication in
answer to a request for information re-
garding the formation of the islands he
states:
The repose of the voyage across the
Pacific Ocean is very gently and pleas
antly broken by the first sight of the
Hawaiian Islands. If the sky be clear
the island of Maui is seen breaking
through the mist OF early morning. The
great cone of Haleakala rises to the
hight of ten thousand feet. The crater
is the largest known. 1t is nine miles in
diameter, and it seems impossible to
conceive the grandeur of eruptions from
so vast an outlet. At present the work
of the volcano is accomplished. During
long ages of rest rocks have decom-
posed, and now rich soil supports an en-
chanting vegetation. Soon the cliffs of
Molokai indicate the location of the
leper settlement. Then sailing toward
Oahu we approach Coco Head, and
rounding Diamond Point the city of
Honolulu bursts upon our view, with it's
palace and charming cottages nestled
in the trees, and creeping up the lovely
valleys which are enclosed in the noun
tains at the rear.
In California we are acquainted with
many evidences of ancient volcanic ac-
ton. Some of our lofty peaks were
formed by eruptions of lava, which,
bursting through the stratifed rocks and
covering the glaciers, spread over vast
acres of gold-bearing gravels. But every
where, side by side with volcanic forces,
were others which played a more i'm
portant roll in the formation of the con-
tinent. In the Hawaiian Islands we
have no such complications. Here vol
Canic action has been paramount. Every
headland is an extinct volcano. Every
island has its special center of eruption,
which, commencing at the unfathOmable
bottom of the sea, has slowly built up a
foundation, and then superstructure
by successive layers of lava, until the
present attitudes were reached. The
ranges of disrupted mountains bear tes-
timony to the Titanic forces which were
brought into operation. 1t is impoSsi-
BILE to picture the result of projecting a
burning mountain into the sea at such
depths; what mighty explosions then
occurred! what evolution of steam and
gas! On the island of Hawaii, and on
others also, are huge cracks thousands of
feet deep and miles wide which have
been formed by the bursting upwards of
the lava beds, and even to-day, although
countless ages of repose have interviewed,
the evidence of volcanic action is both
fresh and universal. There are many
deposits of rich soil, washed down from
the higher levels of slowly disintegrating
rocks, but the general surface of the ISL
ands consists still of unaltered lava, the
markings of which are nearly as fresh as
when they first cooled-it may be thou
sands of years ago.
Nor has the activity of volcanic action
entirely ceased. The cone at MaunalOa,
which is fourteen thousand feet above
the sea level, burst into great activity
only few years ago, and lava was
thrown upwards many hundred feet.
Every six or seven years there is an
eruption from its sides, and only few
years ago the flow of lava threatened the
town of Hilo with destruction. At XII
lauea there is now potent activity. This
is thirty miles from Hilo, and the journey
is full of interest. Starting in the early
lo1 80 ~ g
reached, after which the road crosses
miles OF molten lava, and rises slowly tc
the edge of the Volcano. Here assures
and chasms emit sulphurous vapors, anC
at night outbursts of lava frequently
occur from one or other of the two era
tiers, which are in constant action. The
cauldron is three miles in diameter, anC
three hundred feet in depth. 1t has
been formed by the falling in and melt
ing of the rocks. This operation has
long since ceased, and to-day is carried
on at two small points in miniature
| Over these hang an illuminated vapor
When active, every few minutes foun
tain of molten lava bursts upwards in thu
| center of the crater, rising to the heigh
| of sixty to one hundred feet, and burst
| ing into thousand brilliant points lik
| an Illuminated fountain. This shoulC
be seen at night. Now and again tn
pool of the crater breaks up into mas
of fire, and when the molten liquid ha
accumulated to certain height the con
tanning boundaries give way, and tn
lava spreads out upon the surface witt
indescribable effect. In the second, O
new crater, the effects are somewha
different. The basin is literally damas
cened with fire, with a most beautifu
and fascinating effect. About one mil
away is an extinct crater of most perfec
shape 1t is called Kilauea Xxi, or tn
Little Kilauea. In fact nowhere are tn
phenomena of volcanic eruptions NOR
apparent or more easily observed tina
here. They are visited by many trave
ers and scientists, and add much to tn
interest of q visit TO the Islands