The morning call., 1893-04-09

oil lis niue miles of drearY area-shut in by
the nigh bluff, to scale which means mile
OF climbing-nOt vestige of color Is visible.
save the coal-ltke. hesped-up, outspread
mass, with here and there a yellow seam
where Pele'S sulphurous breath has frosted
upon the edges of crack.
AS L galioped along in the gathering
gloom of the housekeeping tropical twi-
lighf noted everywhere signs of unusual
subterranean activity. Across the narrow
trail and up through the great assures ON
every hand the hot steam rose, now putting
us sulphur = laden vapOrS from cracks
directly In my pathway. again pouring in
whlstllng clouds from wider crevasses be-
Siqe the tran. Once my game little steed
frightened by few wisps of straw blown
from the upper country aud cleaning
Whitley against the jetiy surface of the
lava SHE'D violently and sprang suddenly
from the trail out upon the black waste.
One hOof crashed through the brittle snr-
face ere, realizing his danger. he leaped
BACK To the trail and glancing back. in my
nlght, saw the white steam issuing from
'the hole his foot had made. 1t was a
suggestive sight, and even in that warm air
l shivered a little as l pushed on hurriedIy,
fearful lest the swiftly closing nightfall
should find me alone, without q lantern. on
that black sea. / almost regretted venturing
alone on the "trip, so hard was 1t to recognize
IN the fearful stretch of beakness the genial
mother earth l had known and loved so
better time than on that nights ride over
the rough, hilly lava trail. Nevertheless
the light had grown dim, and n faint red
glow from the crater was just beginning to
tlnge the darkening sky as l rode into the
corral where | must leave him and proeead
the est of the way on foot. tied him, and
leaving him snuffing curiously at n cloud of
steam issuing from the lava close at his feet
L hurried on 10 the edge of the second preci-
pce. The red light was by this timO glow
1fNrr ria Il
the shelter there was q great rush of
burning heat against my face and sight of
indescribable magniticence spread before
my wondering gaze. This second deep pit
Is at the south end of the one had lust
crossed. 1t Is great stronghold, perhaps a
milo across, and nearly circular, where
MADAME Pele has for generations maintained
n garrison against the slowly cOnuuering
forces OF the upper world. l had walked over
The t1oOr OF This pit only few hours before
had climbed the wall of the burning lake
IN lis center and thrusting my staff in 10 its
fiery depths had drawn out great Jumps of
the liquid lava, but tn, re was no crossing
the floor now, for il was a glowing mass of
moving fire, and il was its fervid breath
felt passing in burning waves across my
face. The black ledge upon which l stood
goes down a sheer depth of 800 feet. From
Its foot, across the t0or is distance of $50
feet to where held in check by circular
wall, eighteen or twenty feet high self
Dulll from tile blocks oil lava thrown up by
the fiery tide. Haiemaumau, ''the ever
lasting fire." throbs and burns and CLOVIS
beneath tossing, cracking, heaving crust
OF thin lava. had stood upon the wall the
evening before, gazing upon the hot sea,
aud II had been comparatively quiet, only
few cracks appearing upon the surface, with
fire showing redly beneath, and one or two
fountains playing laZilV, licking out fiery
tongues into the air and langudly tapping
back again, as though the goddess might he
saying: st really isn't worth while to show
my power just now"
But what change had taken place since
then. The lake had risen fully six feet and