St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-03-13

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House, not three hundred PAGES
away, are vast sulphur banks from
which issues vapor in a continuous
stream. Mr.. Lee, the proprietor has
built a bath house, and conveys the
sulphur vapor to it, the healing prop
critics OF which he declares are I'M
equaled.
The Volcano House is large, COM
modious country inn, with accommo'
dations equal to such places in the
United States. 1t is a great pleasure
resort, and patronized extensively
by invalds. Although it would seem
that one could almost stand on its
porch and throw stone into the
crater, it is three miles away.
Mounting my horse in the court in
front OF the house we began the de-
scent. BY a zigzag course we wound
our way down the cliff into the first
crater, which is over three miles
across, our path sometimes leading
along the side of the cliff, and the
projecting rocks almost grazing our
knees as we passed. We gained the
second plain or great crater at last.
This plain is covered with dark lava
plains which in the distance looks
like a CONCEALED quagmire.
Once upon this plain we entered
a path made across the lava. In
places ferns were growing out from
the seams in the crust. AS we
pressed on over the chasm.riVen sur.
lace we came upon a wider, deeper
crack spanned by bridge. There is
a story connected with this chasm,
the guide said. One day a party Of
tourists lett the Volcano House and
went to see the crater, which was then
active. While they were there the
island was convulsed with an earth
quake. Mr.. Lee, fearing some harm
had beialIen his guests, ran to the
lava flow to find this awful chasm
from thirty to fifty leet deep. He was
very much alarmed for his guests
until he saw them coming across the
lava flow. They had scarcely felt the
earthquake at all, but they had to
go about a mile above to cross the
the chasm.
Halt a mile from the Lake of Fire,
as the second crater is called. we
came upon a small corral made of
lava, in which we left the horses,
and, armed with stout sticks, pro.
ceeded over the plain Of hard, glarlng
lava, through the seams of which
sulphurous steam constantly Kissed.
At last we gained the side of the
lake. The crater was inactive and
had been so for year since Mr..
Musick' 5 visit, this volcano has been
in eruption. According to the news.
paper reports, the flow of lava began
on January s but far down into its
hollow depths the faint glow of fires
or heate ! stones could be seen while
the rumbling of subterranean thun
ders reached our ears. The fires were
a thousand feet below US and almost
hidden by dense clouds of sulphurou,
smoke, From the assures of stone
on the side, the qulvering air bore
evidences OF heat, There the guide
lighted his pipe by the fire Of the vol
cano, and ! thrust my walking stat
a few inches into the aperture
Though the stick was OF green wood
in few moments it was ablaze; tn,
heat was SO intense that one coulC
not remain long at this place.
Going around to the north side w
found great flow holes, where tn
lava was piled up in a thousand fan
tastical shapes. One of these cone
looked like an elephant reared on it
hind legs, the trunk and head bein,
quite well formed.
When active the volcano Of Kilauej
is one OF the earth's greatest natura
wonders. In the lake or secon
crater the lava is continually boilin
IN a furious manner, throwing u
jets and fountains, sometimes to tn
height of seventy-hve feet, dashin
against the banks in fiery waves an
throwing up clouds of molten spray
making one of the grandest, mos
awe.inspiring sights imaginable.
From the lake we went to til
great sulphur cave. Though TIL
thermometer stands at over on
: hundred in this cave, we entered i
penetrating our way through til
boiling, kissing steam. Stalactitt
of sulphur and almond hang lil
5 golden and silver icicles from II
S dome OF the cavern. 1t was too he
, to remain long, SO we FASTENED on
\ mounted our horses and returned t
e the Volcano House.
i Next day with guide and horse
r set out from the Volcano for II
t great Kona district, the land
s stone and coffee. Hour after hot
n we trudged on over the stony cart
# relieved occasionally by groves
r. trees, and now and then evidences
e civilization and former occupancy
If the form of an empty beer bottle
- the roadside.
That night we reached Pahal
which is a village plantation of /