The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-10-29

Of Kilauea. The mind, intoxicated
with the graceful, luxuriant beauty
Of the road, fairly reels to find it
ends in such pit. The walls are
800 feet deep and nine miles 10 Cir
conference. In some places, over
the black dead pillows Of lava, va
pors may yet be seen rising, bat
from the extreme southern part is
cloud OF blue smoke. This comes
from Halemaumau, tho House Of
Everlasting Fire." the active part of
Kilauea, sunken crater within the
crater. The road down into the old
crater winds about for mile through
a kind of chaparral OF obia-!ehua,
ohelo berries and ferns. At the end
of this road is a tombstone that marks
where a tourist died after going to
the crater. This is the only record
of a death from the effects Of making
this trip. But this man was an in
valid.
At last we stood upon the cliffs
three hundred feet above the lake of
fire, and gazed in silent awe upon
the miracle. The lake was not rear
ing and plunging as maddened
steed. There were only silent, heavy
throbs from its restless, molten
breast, with occasional bursts Of lava.
For no two seconds is it the same.
At one time there were eighteen
fountains of liquid fire thrown up
around its edge, from ten to fifty feet
high, that fell like stars back into the
lake. Then the dark surface was
streaked with red lines as If by zig
gag lightning shafts. Finally q flow
began on the east and north sides.
The molten mass heaved and flowed
over its black banks. At the same
time streaks Of red crossed the sur
face from the flows toward each
other, and at last flashed a fourth Of
the lake into liquid sea Of fire. In
stantly this was all changed. Again
the red lava burst fourth into fan
tastic shapes over the dark molten
mass. The lava pouring out over
the edge Of the lake has formed
black ledge around it, in some places
twenty feet above the floor. Hale
maumau is q pit mile and half in
diameter, with an active lake 900
| feet across.
On another side where there had
been the overflow the night before
we stood on the very brink of the
molten lake. The putting and sput-
tering threatened an overflow every
minute. What seemed a solid black
lava 800 feet above proved to be
transparent scum, through which
could be seen the heaving Of the
molten red mass. In places just
| above the surface was white vapory
substance, then a layer OF heat vi
brations and then blue vapor. There
were several good specimens taken
out here. After leaving this place a
flow began from the lake near. The
whole party ran toward it thought
less Of guide or danger. Here the
thick red stream poured slowly over
the black ledge. In ten minutes after
q flow Of lava may be walked over.
Other specimens were made here
Your representative whipped ont a
piece Of lava with caue, and, by the
help of Mr.. Lee, it was soon nodded
into shape with the native coin fixed
in the center.
Then began the slow and cautious
return. The party arrived safely
above without 4 scar or torn garment,
but with plenty of toasted sole.
Around and below US lay one Of
the worlds great mysteries. Again
we ask, and ask for ''the knowledge
that out-topples time But the bill
Lowry plains OF lava and the pit OF
lurid light and molten throbs give
back no answer. Seers are they that
keep their mighty secrets. We turn
away in the silence, but new infu-
ence has passed into our lives and
We are happier.
VIRGINIA CALHOUN.