, 1892-04-04
THE BURNING LAKE
A TRAVELLER TELLS OF HIS VISIT
TO THE HAWAIIAN VOLCANO.

"A BFAeA Description oil the Most
Wonderful Volcano i'm Exist
ence - The Sandwich islands
and Their Inhabitants.
Charles r. Fischer, prominent traveller,
who was in the city Saturday, in a CONVEX
sation with TRIBUNE reporter, gave a
very interesting description of the wonder
full volcono in the island of Hawaii, one Of
the Sandwich group. Mr. Fischer is rep
resentative Of the firm of Taylor, Mason &
Co., of San Francisco, ana his business
calls him to these islands every winter.
He has just returned from one of these
visits, and during his last trip he took an
opportunity to view this volcano, Of which
SO much has been said and written.
The island of Hawaii, onswhich this vol
cano is located, is about a seven days voy-
age from San Francisco in the South Pa
cifc ocean. To reach this island one must
first go to Honolulu and there take a
steamer.
'glhe trip from HonoIuIa To tiis island
of Hawaii, and especially the great vol
cano," said Mr.. Fischer, sis worth many
IlAlSS 4Uo SOpG W ,1lly OO6s -Ab iifSU S1RIlD
one is not greatly impressed, but to pass a
night at its crater convinces one of its mag
nitude and sublimeness. The volcano is
burning, seething and restless mass off
molten earth constantly lashing the sides
Of the crater. AT times a crust is formed,
and fora few moments all is quiet, but only
for short time, for, like the calm before
the storm, it soon breaks forth with double
force, and midst sulphurous fumes the
crust is again consumed in the burning
lake. During these eruptions, and lust
preceding them, terrific rumbles are heard
and the earth quakes beneath you Rocks
as large as buildings are sometimes blown
from the side of the crater into the burn
ing msss, which floats on top for a few
seconds and then gradually sinks to un-
fath0mable depths only to be resurrected
again in the shape of burning lava at sue
ceedlng eruptlons, which at times throws
up long fountains OF the liquid lava white
hot many feet in the air. "A few hours
visit to this volcano will bring thoughts to
a persons mind which no other possible
circumstance could effect The natives are
very superstitious about this live crater,
and believe tito be the goddess of fire. They
often go there and worship and throw live
animals, money and packages of wine and
liquor into the lake to feed the goddess and
keep her from oyerlowing the island with
lava.
"phe business on the Sandwich islands,
continued Mr.. Fischer, sis conducted most
ly by oreigners-Americans Germans and
English, who are almost unanimous in
favor of coming under the jurisdiction of
the United States. There are two first
class local steamship lines doing business
among the islands, owning and running
good steamers. The people generally take
life easy and are very generous and hospi-
table to strangers who go there properly in
troduced
''The natives are very peaceable and
afectionate lot of people; they live mostly
on their native food, called poi" tropical
fruits and fish. They eat raw fish, and
seem to participate in outdoor public
feasts more than any other class Of peo-
pie. The warm climate renders it unnec-
essary far them to wear many clothes, but
what they do wear appears neat and clean.
They are natural musicians. The Roy
al Hawaiian brass band consists of
over forty pieces, and they furnish
better music than any band have heard
on this coast. Outside of the cities in their
native villages they live in the old native
| style on the natural products of the islands
and the sea. They are great swimmers and
it is no uncommon thing for them to dive
into the ocean among lot of sharks and
drive them away.
"When the ocean steamers leave Homo
lulu for the United States, the Royal band
usually offer their music as a parting sere-
made and every passenger is almost loaded
down with wreathes of flowers, and as the
steamer retires from the wharf and begins
to move the band plays national American
airs.
GA pleasure trip to the Sandwich islands
is, in my opinion, the most interesting trip
person can take. | have travelled con-
stantly for the past twelve years and have
found nothing that will compare with it. {"