Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-25

PROSTATE log, and no sooner extricatilg
/ himself from one such position than to fall
into another, is not a comfortable means of
conveyance. But the tough and hardy lit
| tie Hawaiian horses wallow ed unconcernedly
onward through the silent forest, where
| few birds and no beasts utter sound.
This scrambling process had been going
on something over an hour before there ap-
pesred light ahead through the trees that
indicated we were coming to an opening in
the woods. 1t was q former lava how-one
| that had come down this far after the erup-
tion of 1885, Getting upon this, there was
comparatively clean path in the course Of
the old flow clear back to its source; conf
paratively clear, for the lava was already
In process of decay, of grayish color and
covered over with moss, while here and
there sufficient soil had accumulated to
nourish the roots of a dwarfish tree.
Stinted shrubs, grass and ferns also grew
sparsely upon its surface-a contrast to the
rank luxuriance of the growth on each side.
An occasional little stream of water made
its way from the edge off into the forest
from some spring whose source had been
swallowed up years ago by the molten mass.
The forests on the sides of Mnuna Loa are
covered with lava flows, sometimes inter-
secting one another, sometimes running
side by side. The age is indicated by the
condition of the vegetation upon them. 1t
is curious effect, this open, elevated high
way through the living forest, especially in
contrast with such impotent efforts to tear
a pathway through the woods by men as
that we had just come over.
Within Sight of the Fires.
The horses had an easy time over this
ready-made roadway, and it was not long
before there came in sight the deserted
grass hut, where quarters for the night
were to be found. The daylight was fading
by this time, so we fastened to ride on for
a preliminary survey before coming back to
leave the horses for the night. 1t was not
tar beyond that this old flow led back into
the one now coming down. But it proved
far too rough for horses to get over, SO that
there was nothing to do but return and
picket the horses, eat q cold supper and
then sally forth on adventure. For some
time past in our ride there had been lndica-
tions that we were approaching the neigh
borhood of the volcanic fires. The crack
ling of burning timber could be heard,
there was the smell of smoke in the air, and
there came the deep-toned booms of ex-
plosions off through the woods Now, as
the daylight faded, the lights of the fire
were plainly visible through. the trees.
The walk up to the flow proved to be a
rough one, this part of the old flow lacking
the smooth surface it had lower down, and
being broken up into caves and pitfalls and
sharp cakes upturned. But it led in due
time to within sight of the fires. The steam
arose from the ground about, and the vast
leviathan, stretched out over the plain,
glowed like stove coming to red heat.
AT times ragged crack would appear in
the surface as the molten mass beneath
swelled up through the crust and gushed
out with the brightness of living fire,
spreading about over the crust, and then in
turn quickly cruSting over and cooling to
the somber glow of the whole mass The
ominous cracking sound at our feet
retreat, which was
quickly needed. Then spreading our rub
Der coats we lay down by this great fire.
side aud went to sleep with the Southern
Cross shining in our faces across the glow
ing lava A rain shower wakened us
chilled and shivering and sent us down
again into the neighborhood of the warm
glow which stretched away in the dark
ness apparently for miles. To the left the
fires were particularly active in what was
apparently the direction the flow was max |
ing its way. The fiery liquid would, ut in |
.ervals, break out there into a billow and |
sweep forward into the forest, swallowing |
up trees and lighting them into a beacon |
Is the lava cooled and darkened again. |
There was something solemn and appalling
n the reckless and needless way in which |
nature hurled forward these masses which |
Innihilated the forest and then quickly
cooled before our eyes into the rock forms
which were to endure while the landscape
asted