The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-10-22
LAKE OF LIVING LAVA.
Situated on Mount kiIauea, in Hawaii, I
the Sandwich Islands.

There is on the island of Hawaii
and It's Wonders" 1t is on Mount
kilauea. 1t is pit about three and Il
half miles wide, nearly clliptical in
form, and surrounded with cliffs al
most inaccessible to human foot. Capt.
Dutton thus describes it: The object
upon which the attention is instantly
fixed is Il large, chaotic pile of rocks
situated in the center of the amphi
theater, rising TO height which, by
an eye estimate, appears to be about
$50 TO 400 feet. From innumerable
places in its mass volumes Of steam are
poured forth and borne away to the
lceward by the trade wind. The color
of the pile is intensely black. spotted
and strcaked here and there with red.
1t is so shattered and broken that it has
a craggy. ominous aspect, which may
be called hideous.
Around it spreads out the slightly
undulating floor of The amphitheater,
as black rs night. TO the left of the
steaming pile is an opening in the
floor of the crater, within which we be-
hold the ruddy streams of boiling
INV IIpHl HuulcIOuS pUtIiS III lIlt
surrounding floor clouds of steam issue
forth and melt away III the steady flow
of the wind. Desolation and horror
reign supreme. The engirdling walls
everywhere hedge it in. But upon
their SUBMITS aud upon the receding
platform beyond are I'LL the wealth and
luXuriance of tropical vegetation,
heightcniug the contrast with the
desolation below.
The pool of burning lava is about
$50 feet long and little over 800 feet
in width. surrounded by vertical walls
- TO 20 feet in height. When we first
reach it the probabilities are that the
surface of the lake is coated over with
Il black. sOlldiiied crust, showing a rim
of fire all around its edge. AT numer-
ous points ut the edge of the crust Jets
of fire are seen spouting upward. thow-
ing up spray of glowing lava drops
and emitting Il duh, simmering sound.
The heat, for the time being, is not in
tense. Now and then II fountain breaks
out in the middle of the lake aud boils
feebly for Il few minutes. 1t then be-
comes quiet, but only TO renew the
operation at some other point.
Gradually the squirting and fretting
at the edges augment. A belch of
lava is thrown up here and there to
the height of five or six feet and falls
back upon the crust. Presently. and
near the edge, IL cake of the crust
cracks of, aud one edge of it sliding
downward descends beneath the lava,
and the whole cake disappears, discos-
ing a naked surface of liquid fire.
Again it coats over and turns black.
This operation is repeated edgewlse at
some other part of the lake. Suddenly
Il network of cracks shoots through the
entire crust. Piece after piece of it
turns its edge downward aud sinks
with grand commotion, leaving the
whole pool Il single expanse of liquid
lava. The lake surges fcebly for
awhile, but soon comes to rest.
The heat is now insuppOrable, and
for time it is necessary TO Withdraw
from the immediate brink. Gradually
the surface darkenS with the formation
of a new crust which grows thicker
and blackcr until the last rays of in
candesccncc disappear. This alterna-
ton of The freezing of the surface of
the lake and the break mp and sinking
of the crust goes on in Il continuous
round, at Il regular period OF about
two hours.