The National tribune., 1890-04-24

eruptions Of 1910. 1859 aud 1868 made their
way TO tho sea- adding materially to the area
of the island. Tho greatest amount Of lava
was elected in 1856. when $4,000 100000 cubic
feet OF 1t were poured forth and in 1850 the
lava ran % miles to the sea in eight days The
erupttons of kiauea are usually independent
OF those from the summit crater. 1t has an
elevation of very nearly 400o feet and is pit
OF eight miles III circumference, and 1000 feet
deep. Travellers can eusily mako their way to
the bottom aud the melted lava may be dipped
out on q long stick
The ascent of Alauna Loa IL difficult, the trail
being steep and very rough. 50 that compara-
lively few persons attempt to GO beyond tho
lower crater. Having seen tho interior Of the
extinct crater on Maui, we naturally wished
to look down into an active one, and again ac-
companied by DIR. llarGroye aud a guide. set
out Tor the crest Of the volcano from lIlo. q
town OF some 5000 inhabitants on the eastern
coast. It contains the residence Of the Governor.
OF an American Consul, and Cf many owners of
the large sugar plantations on the island. lilo
has good port and custom house is one Of
the prominent buildings.
The snow tipped crown Of Mauna L0a glis-
tened In the Bunlight on this beautiful morn
ing rs we mado our way out from HiIo. Ere
long we struck tho lava track aud through this
black waste we tolied on hour after hour and not
until the shades Of night gathered around us
did we make ont the lights of tho Volcano
House, asubstantial structure with Out-housus,
that sits on the northern edge of the Kilauea
crater. on the upper incline, safe from the lava
flows. This inn is owned by certain sugar
planters of the island, aud the provisions are
carried on muleback up the mountain from
Hilo, 30 miles away. i rousing FIRE greeted
as as VIC entered the hosiery. and we were met
by the landlord. who shook hands cordially
with us aud bado us welcome After bount-
fui supper the guide disappeared mp the stairs,
and the landlord the Doctor, aud l were loft
alone seated
ARoUSD THE GREAT FIRE.
That night heard think some Of tho most
marvellous tales ever related from our host A
queer individual he was. Tail long legged and
angular his garments Of go4tskiu fitted lon4ely =
on his body. lie wore his hair aud beard long,
while his rugged, strongly. marked features
were TIC MP by pair Of deep'set, keen gray
eyes. which glitored in the dark like eats.
He was n New England Yankee. aud bad come
TO tho Islands - years before For a long time
he had bad charge nf the Volcano House. aud his
experiences IN the mountains had been won
deriul~-nt least according ta his own account.
lie looked like u veritabie O5 Man Of the
Mountains "a he aat thcts IN the Aickorine Gre.
light. lie had a great flow Of words. and | be-
lave his stock of stories was inexhaustible.
lie related wonderful adventures In the crater
depths. He told us nf the great eruptians, aud
how they swept whole villages away and huu.
dreds Of souls into eternity. lie narrated with
horrible ucety of detail how travellers lost their
way IN The desoIate lava wastes, aud the awful
fate that oyercame them. lie talk ed about the
weird spirits Of the frebasns. Yes he had
seen them often. There were spirits in the
crater we'll elsewhere. Surely, we did not
doubt himY Aud then no would 20 of into
something that would make our flesh creep.
While must doubt the truth Of some of the
old fellows wild tales he was indeed n most
entertaining talkor, and his imagination would
have done credit to Edgar Allen Poe. The
monntainccr talked until far into the night,
and when wanted to 90 10 bed he insisted on
telling us about appalling disasters by earth
quake.
got mp and stood by the window, looking
down into tho crater depths ] could seq tho
red molten mass seGthing and suffering The
Pickering shadows thrown by the peaks hover
cd like shapelcss ghosts in the abyss and the
Fuady vnpor ascending in thick clouds remind
ed ono of the boiling oil and birthstone that the
old-time preachers used to delight in keeping
ever before the minds of their wicked listeners.
great hight, falling like shower of liquid gold
The whole appearance was of great sea ef fire
Ia other parts where the hardened crust rose
above the surrounding melted lava, the bed oI
tho crater heaged aud rolled.
As ] stood watching IN awc.strieken silence
aud just rs the landlord reached q particularly
painful part Of a narrative about earthquakes
there came a rolling, Rubbing sound like that