The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-08-13
volcano HoUsE, HAWAII,
August /, 1892.

Here on the edge Of Halemaumau.
one lives in q blessed qniet which
brings forgetfuiness of all the out
side world. I have been to many
famous resorts in the United States,
in Italy, Spain and Switzerland, and
/ cannot help wondering whether
anywhere else ON this planet of ours
there is anything approaching this.
The wonder is really for other peo-
pie, for as to myself / confess that /
have so fallen under the spell of
Kilauea that I could almost be con-
tent to dream my days out in its
golden quiet, and forget that there
was any suffering, work or worry in
the world. We never weary of watch
ing the changing lights and shadows
on Mauna Loa How can one? That
mountain is never twice the same.
Clear in the dawn, clouded and cloud
Swallowed all day, and stainless again
at night, the one thing which never
there are the bluffs, which jat out
into the lava sea of the crater floor
They are all different, each with a
special picturesqueness of its own,
and one never tires of rambling
around them, seeking new points of
view, continually making fresh dis
coveries. The surroundings here are
go unique, so varied, so unlike any
thing else to be seen on these fair
islands, that trip to the Volcano in
wolves as complete a change of
scenery as well as climate as if one
went to the Yosemite.
To the kamaainas who only know
the Volcano trip as it was in the
olden days, the change is like a
dream. One can hardly believe that
this spacious, elegant hotel, equipped
with all the comforts and luxuries of
civilized life, has risen here in the
wilderness on the site of the rude
old inn. The element of hardship
has been quite eliminated from q
visit to the Volcano, and the trip has
become one pre-eminently suited to
all who are seeking rest and recuper-
alton, no matter how delicate their
condition may be. The fine bracing
air would give an appetite to a
craven image. / know that every
thing edible disappears from my
neighborhood, but my appetite is by
no means singularity. Who is this
invalid lady who is continually ask
ing for more? Can that gentleman
just passing his plate for a third
help, be the dignifed President of
Punahou? Down az the other " q !
lof t he K saaBRls notice an ohelo race is
in progress, and one of the girls has
Just disposed of her sixth saucerfull
Bracing air, cozy open fires, splen-
did appetites end plenty to crafty
them, good beds and ten hours
sleep in them-are not these things
enough to "stiffen the sinews, sum
mon up the blood" and make even
the most relaxed and run down feel
elike a fighting cock?"
1 do not intend to bore your
readers, Mr.. Editor, with any high.
flown descriptions of Halemaumau
The ground has been gone over sc
often, that there can be little left FOL
me to CLEAN. The general features o.
the Volcano are the same as for some
time past Halemaumau Is now {
crater within crater, being, as estim
ated by Dr. Lyons, about 24O0 fee
In circumference at the top, ane
about 1900 at the bottom, the crater
walls varying in height from $50 tt
800 feet. In the center of this pit il
the lake of fire, about 900 to $50 fee
in diameter. These figures do no
agree with the estimates of Bishop
and Thurstop, who make the lax
1900 feet across. The surface of thi
lake is in more or less constan
action, the principal activity beinl
In general near or around the edge
and at two or three points nearer til
center of the lake. There are nc
ments of almost complete inactivity
and others when twenty or thirt
fountains may be seen playing a
once, some of them throwing u
their lava foam to height of thirt.
or forty fest. The bed of the pi
rises steadily from the edge of tn
cliffs to the bank of the lake, so tina
the level of the latter, according t
DR.. Lyons, must be thirty five fee
above the base of the cliffs. Tn
lava overfiows, which occur almos
daily are slowly and steadily builc
ing up an embankment around tn
centre of activity This embanl
ment or dyke, which may be CON
pared to the wall around a fish POND
or better still, to sort of breas
work, varies in height from five o
six to fifteen or twenty feet. TIL
depression of the lava below the to
of this embankment is very small
varying from inches to three fee
so that it does not require much {
an upward lift to cause an overflow
1t is considered dangerous I
make the descent into the pit an
ladies in particular are strongly di
suaded from doing so. Yet thel
does not appear to be any reaso
why plucky women who are skillfI
climbers should not make the de
cent. Five Of the ladies of our part
did SO, and got back without irco
yenience. The climb is certainly
very steep and rough one, and con
mon sense requires the adoption of
suitable costume. The ladies' in tn
case showed themselves accessible
the voice of common sense, and in
double sense, acquitted themselv