Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-04-26


that makes it safe to walk over the
crater.
Having descended to the crater we
commence our three mile walk over the
lava to reach the lake. We walk along
without any difficulty, stepping over a
crevice here, a crack there, going
around some high projection of lava, or
to avoid some great chasm too wide to
leap over, passing through sulphur
fumes so strong of sulphur that you
must hold your handkerchief over
mouth and nose and breathe as little as
you can, climbing up small mountain
of lava and climbing down again on the
other side, until in two hours we have
made the three miles very comfortably,
and we stand on the banks Of Dana
Lake. lake of fire, or as the natives
call it Pe,e's house of fire, Pele being
their god of fire.
To give you am idea of what this lake
looks like, I must again make use of
the ocean by way of comparison. Re-
member that by this time it is pitch
dark The lake is some four hundred
feet long and varies in width and shape
every day. It is said that it never looks
twice alike. But will try to describe
it as I saw it; SO, I would say it is
about 400 feet long, 200 feet wide in
the center, and $50 feet wide at each
end. Now, can you imagine the waves
of the ocean rolling gently in until they
strike the beach, and then breaking
into surf, splash on the shore. If you
can picture this in your mind, and
know that instead of looking at water
you are looking at great body Of fire,
and instead of rolling gently on the
beach, it splashes against the lava
banks, and throws red hot lava, instead
of spray, into the air, you can, maybe,
have some idea OF what Dana Lake is.
Occasionally, instead of rolling to the
banks, you will notice a violent commo-
ton of bubbling or boiling in some
portion of the lake, and a moment
later it has increased until perfect
fountain Of fire is playing. The night
we were in we were fortunate to Ind
the lake exceedingly active, and we
could see six of these fountains of fire,
as I call them, playing at one time.
The sight was one that can never be
forgotten. 1t is impossible to express
ones feelings as you stand on the
bank of the lake and realize what you
are looking at. 1t is sight OF such
grandeur, and afeeling OF such awe as is
indescribable. We watched the changes
in the lake for two hours before we
could feel that we could leave it. Final
ly, lighting our lanterns, we followed
our guide again, and two and half
hours later sat down, at ten o'clock at
night, to hearty lunch at the Volcano
house. Mr.. Maby, the genial manager
of the house, never forgets anything
that adds to tie comfort of his guests.
The hotel is owned by the Wilder
Steamship company, and is first class in
every respect.
Usually the party would go into the
crater the day following their arrival,
and then have day after the visit to
the crater for rest; but, as said, we
were pushing on to lilo. So, the next
morning, we mounted our horses and
set out for a horseback ride half way
down, to meet the carriage that was
was to take US to Hilo. We had most
delightful ride all the way, and
it is this ride between Hilo and the
Volcano house that is one of the great
est attractions of going by this route, as
we'll as to see Hilo itself. The, trail
over which you ride on horseback is
very good one, leading through beau
tiful country, but when you reach the
carriage road is when you feel an hun
dred times repaid for every step you
have taken to reach it. Remember,
you are in tropical country where the
vegetation is wonderfully profuse and
wonderfully beautiful. The road is
perfectly smooth and is bordered by
these tropical trees, foliage and shrub
berry that meet in the center overhead.
You drive through perfect wilderness
of ferns-ferns of every conceivable va
riety, every shape, size and kind. Wher-
ever little speck of dirt finds lodg-
ment, there fern takes root, so that
tree after tree is filled with their
growth.
We reached Hilo at five o'clock in
the afternoon, having come down very
slowly from the Volcano house, and
drove to Mr.. D. a Hitchcock where the
Purser of the Kinau had arranged for
us to stop, and after making hasty
toilet we sat down to such meal as
we never will forget. There is no hotel
at Hilo. but there is no need Of any as
long as her generous people open their
houses to visitors as they do now.
They not only open their houses, but
they show visitors everything OF inter-
est to be seen.
Hilo is a most beautiful little town
of $500 people, lying around Hilo bay.
Here, as elsewhere on the islands, you /
find the same profuse growth OF veg
citation that is characteristic of tropical |
climates. 1t is entirely different from
anything we have at home and so beau
tiful, too, that one Is fairly fascinated
with it.
Here we found DR.. @. H. Wetmore,
Judge 8. L. Austin. Judge F. S. Ly
man, Miss Hattie Coan, great
many natives and others who knew
Mr.. and Mrs. F. P. Baker during