The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-08-16
A VISIT TO HALEAKALA.
A WOMAN'S TRIP TO THE Elk.
TINCT CRATER.
The blouse Of the Sum as Described
by a Writer in the "Overland" done
Of Maui's Wonders

w iNhioNC'i 3D.
small among kingdoms, still contains
two of the "big things" often spoken
and written about. In fact, each is the
big thing of its kind. They are
Kilauea, the largest active volcano, and
Haleakala, the largest extinct crater on
earth.
The first has often been visited, and
as often described, but Haleakala has
not been written up so often. 1t will
repay one for the trouble of an ascent
to its lofty summit. Though not so
high as Mauna Kes, it still is to be
counted among lofty mountains, as it is
over 5000 feet high. What its height
was before some mighty eruption tore
away its summit, some two thousand
years ago, can only be guessed at now.
| had seen and wondered at Kilauea,
but had never thought of making the
ascent of Haleakala until found my
SELF with several friends, spending
some weeks at Wailuku. We had
visited all other points Of interest within
riding distance before some one pro-
posed that we make the trip to the
crater.
If one desires to see Haleakala at
its best, the ascent must be made the
day before, and the night spent at the
summit This was the plan we adopted.
We rode gaily out of Waikiki and
soon reached the foot of the mountain.
The base of this Haleakala is ninety
miles around; thus the slope is not 50
steep as to make difficult the climbing.
1t can be made on horseback all the
way. The trip is lovely ride, through
variety of tropical growth that pre-
vented it from becoming monotonous
Late in the day we reached the place
that had been selected for our camp,
in which we were to pass the night,
sleeping if possible, if not, in chatting
and wishing for sunrise, that we might
see the wonders of the place. Dusk
was closing down. We could STE
nothing of the scene spread out be
fore US, and SO settled down to await
the coming Of the day, hoping that we
might have clear sunrise.
The crater is some twenty-five miles
in circumference, and about 1000 feet
in depth. The whole broad basin was
filled to the brm with tossing, rolling,
feathery mist, which rose and fell,
trembling and swaying in the Ugh,
morning breeze. Even the form of the
crater was invisible, the vapor hiding
the farther edge from our view.
Soon the sun arose from the waves,
and as the pink light touched the
pillows of mist they were dyed with a
rosy glow. Far away in the distance
rose the faint blue forms of lofty Mauna
Kea, while Mauna Loa seemed light
cloud in the sky, far away above fair
Hawaii The ocean stretching be-
tween, at first dark sheet of dull gray
spread out before US, was lighted into
a glow by the suns rays as he rose
higher in the sky Brighter and
brighter grew the scene, but still the
cloud of mist filed the pit before US,
as if Pele was determined to hide the
ruins of her former home.
Far below, the villages seemed
clustered close together at the foot Of
their lofty guardian. Waikiki and
Kahului, miles apart, were, from oul
standpoint, almost merged into one
while the buildings on the plantations
looked like toys for children's sport.
As the whole crater was opened tc
our gaze we saw that it was an irregular
oval in shape, some seven or eight
miles in length and about six in width
The sides sloped at a wide angle, dowr
which it would have been compar
atively easy to Chamber had one de
sired but there was nothing to BIT
gained by the trip, SO we remained nea
the top of the mountain.
The whole thing reminded one of ;
deep dish from which the cover haC
been removed What removed tina
cover is a disputed question. Some
scientists say that the top of the noun
tain was blown off by tremendous
explosion, while others declare that thu
top is still there; has, in fact, settled
down into the interior, as at kllauea
Whichever way it is, there are two wide
gaps in-the walls of the crater, througt
which, in some bygone day, the stream
of liquid lava flowed, to plunge d, wn
word until it was received, Kissing anc
steaming into the waves of the sea
The steam that poured out through
the gap called Koolau was three mile
wide. What sight it must have been
that river of fire, plunging down tel
thousand feet, in seven miles, to tn,
ocean. Probably no one saw it tho, g
as the last eruption is believed to have
occurred two thousand years ago bu
it seems a pity that SO grand a sigh
should not have been witnessed b,
some one who could have understood
the grandeur of the scene. Kaupo
the other break in the crater wall, i
not so wide, nor from its position woulc
the flow have been SO swift or 81
grand.
In Imagination we saw the might,
flow as it broke through the restraining
rocks and plunged headlong down thu
steep mountains side; then, with ;
start, we returned to the present, ant
one Of our native guides was holding
out to US a calabash of cool water h
had just dipped from a. living spring
which hnhhles nm deem down in tn,