The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-07-18
SUPREME IN GRANDEUR.
THE VOLCANOES MOLTEN LAKE
Sinks 27O FEET.
Description Given by MIR.
w. n. Armstrong.

n. Armstrong. 1t was written upon re-
quest uf Mr.. II. NJ. Whitney of the
gazette and was published in this
mornings advertiser.
On account of its thrilling interest to
the public at the present time, and by
request, it is reproduced here for the
benefit of the readers of the STAR.
Mr.. Thurston writes from the Vol
cano House, and says:
On the 9Th of July the lake in Kilauea
overlooked its banks. On the 12th the
lava fell $40 feet in twelve hours, caus-
ing the banks to fall in on all sides, and
engulfing about eight acres of the floor
of the crater.
The falling of the banks was going on
all day and far into the night, produc-
ing a scene indescribably grand. Three
shocks of earthquake were felt at the
Volcano House, but not hard enough to
do any damage.
The fall of the lake was witnessed 10y
W. n. Armstrong, Mrs. C. L. Carter,
U.
Crockett, Mr.. and Mrs. L. A. Thurston,
Mr.. Martin Lee and Albert Lazure, the
guide.
The scene Of action was one OF great
danger, but so intensely fascinating that
the party remained in the crater during
almost the entire day, and part of them
during part OF the night. Occasional
falls of the banks are still taking place
The activity of the lake has increased
since its fall, and it is again rising. This
is believed to be the first "breakdown"
which has ever taken place in Kilauea
when any one was present.
l.. A. THuRsToN.
Mr.. w. n. Armstrong, who brought
this interesting report, reached the cit,
BY the Hall yesterday and was seen
to-day.
He was full of the subject, but an
nounced that Mr.. Thurston had seen
more of the wonderful spectacle than
he, and would return Saturday with a
long and comprehensive account of the
marvellous changes in Kilauea within
the past few days.
Mr.. Armstrong said: "On last Thurs
day morning we were astonished to
see from the Volcano House great
clouds of dust or smoke arising from all
sides of the burning lake. Our party
with Mr.. Thurston in the lead, repaired
to the spot as soon as possible. On
reaching there it was found that the
dust was caused by most wonderful
metamorphosis in the appearance of
the volcano.
"The lake had fallen and was still
recedng, and the surrounding lava
banks had given way and sloped down
wards. As the molten mass within the
crater sank, the walls fell or rather in
creased their perpendicular, so that the
sides became terrible precipices. Out of
these walls issued small streams OF
| liquid lava, which shone brilliantly.
Sometimes large detachments of the
crust walls of hardened lava would
tumble into the molten mass, when the
burning lake would seethe and roll
from side to side, the pillows of lava
breaking against the obstructipg walls
"The lake continued to sink until 6
point 270 feet below its starting wa,
reached in about twelve hours.
"Mr. Thurston went wild over tn,
grand spectacle. He was here, ther,
and everywhere, as active as a school
boy, and left nothing escape his sight
He pranced around from one point O.
observation to another, noticed the de
cline of the molten mass and the rollins
waves of liquid fire from every point.
"On Sunday morning, when 1 lief
the Volcano for Hilo, there was un
usual activity in the crater, but tn,
surface remained very nearly the sam,
as before.
"The lava would at times becom,
greatly agitated and seem to rise in tn
pit, but would soon show that it re
manned at about the same level
Whether another rise and overflow vii
occur shortly, or the lake continue T.
fall lower, no one can form any idea.
ain August, 1892, the lake rose n
feet, or to about 300 feet below tn
level of the Volcano House. But il
March, 1894, it was POI feet abov
that, and only 80 feet below the hotel
The fall OF last week (270 feet, there
fore, takes it below the rise of 1S9.
and about 1859 feet below the Volcan
House.
"The caving in OF the sides OF tn
crater made it extremely dangerous t
venture near the precipice, and o
several occasions the spots upon whic
we had stood broke and rolled into tn
seething vortex shortly after we left.
"When Mr.. Rowell was there he trie
some experiments with shells fiji,
/ with water and sealed. But owing t
the difficulty in following out tn plar
the experiments were hardly su,
cessful.
: 1.-THE actual crater of the volcan
/, contains an area of about fifteen acre
: A bird's-eye view of it at present woul
e show an oval crater with deep an
s dark pit, containing the burning lax,
n near the center.
Il Altogether the sight was the gran'
e est imaginable and one never to be 70
gotten"
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