Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-30
a Visit to the Crater of Mauna
Loa
hARVELOUSSCENEOF VOLCANIC ACTION
Beautiful Fountains of Fire at
Play.
\ G r A n d S c Z n Z
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

| Special Correspondence of The Evening Star
| HONOLULU, May o 1895.
| The eruption of Mauna Loa seems to
| have become fiXedly located inside of the
| great caldera pit of Mokuaweoweo on the
| summit, instead of breaking out in the
| more common manner from some part of
| the mountain flank. The up-gush of lava
| appears TO be fully as copious as in any OF
| the largest of its recent eruptions. AS the
| explosive stage of the beginning of erup-
ton has passed, it seems unlikely that the
| lava will now have force enough to rend
| for itself new outlet on the side of the
! mountain. In the inception of the eruption,
| il may lie believed that the old shaft of the
| crater was much clogged, so that there was
| a great accumulation Of gases as in the
| case of geyser, whose explosions are pro-
| voked by choking its shaft with sods.
| Hence the first discharge Of the volcano
vas tremendously explosive, driving
| column of mingled lava and gases all at
| White heat, many thousands of feet aloft
| Tnis marvellous column of fire was seen as
| bright vertical line from Molokai 100
| miles away.
| That explosive stage of action soon
ceased. After few days the accumulat ton
Of gases had blown off. The Fighter froth
| upon the top of the ascending column of
| magma had exhausted itself. The eruption
then settled down to its regular work, pour
| ing up a vast river Of foaming fusion in
| immense fountains into the interior of the
great caldcra.
| Likely to Continue
This may go on for months. with grad
| u&ily diminishing force until the expusive
clergy becomes inadequate any longer to
sui'mount the nearly three miles up which
| 1t is now forcing the fluid. To force water
$50 feet up is a great feat for a steam
Iump. Consider the force that drives
| column Of molten rock, thrice the specific
| gravity Of water, over 1900 feet aloft
! Ard this column is probably fifty feet in
| diameter. judging from the enormous foun-
| tains proGured. The Spectacle Of force
/ alone Is colossal. Added to that is the rag
| l'S horror Of fiery fluid at heat OF fully
| 900 degrees Fahrenheit, rushing up in a
| Niagara food
This flood Of lava first forms lake of
! about twen;y-siX acres of fluid lava, as
! EcHSerEativeiy estimated by Engineer
! Dodge. Outside Of the lake is an area of
| n"dfly one square mile. covered to an aver
! 2Se depth OF twenty feet 10y the hardened
! lava, winch has overlooked from the la ke
! The overflow from the lake builds up its
| Ilm IN a wall, raising its level some twenty
| ieet above he surrounding area. As the
! great pit has capacity of oue-third of a
! cutlc mile, it would take about ten such
| cruptlons to fill it to the brim, as the great
/ How Of lNsl, which covered twenty square
| miles ten feet deep with rev rock. As the
deeper nDOr of the crater covers about Two
Is
would cove" il l'IJ feet in depth And such
( il not unlikely to be the result: The similar
moor or k!lauea mas been raised an average
OF 4."' feet since il was first visited by in
;.l.s52t observers in l>2i kilauea floor is
twice as large the main floor of Mokua-
NcoWeo, bat never eXpends is lava outside
Ike the mountain crater.
Fountains of Fire.
Inc most remarkable feature of the pres
ent eruption is the two enormous fountains,
Z NJ hIl So,
fountains project the lava in a steady
column. The dimensions of the larger
fountain are estimated by Mr. Dodge at
100 feet in diameter and 25o feet in con-
slant height The second is a little less
But both fountains are Internationally
niislns merry spray and lava bombs to a
height of even 4uu feet. A number If
other fountains play Internationally
throughout the surface OF ;he lake. The
color OF these fountains in the sunlight is
somewhat reddish In the night they are
Of extreme white brilliaane, finging a
reflection upon the overlanging vapor
clouds. whose glow is seen at Honolulu
1N' mics away. The surface Of the lake
is partially crusted over. looking gray by
! day. but bright red at night, scanned with
crawling crevices. through which shines
the white fire.
Now for the story of the great excursion
party. Soon after sunrise on the 18th there
started from the Volcano House for the
| rendezvous at Ainapo. fourteen miles dis
tant, a party OF eleven. consisting of Rev
DR.. Dill. of San Francisco. T. H. Phillips
of Buffalo, +. NJ. Wakefield and +. ID
Baldwin of Hilo, J. X. Farley of Kanai
G. W. Patty Of Pahala. II. L. Wilson of
Puma, Peter Lee. mine host CT Volcano
House: Howard Hitchcock artist and vol
Cano specialist: Daniel Logan. editor of
Honolulu Bulletin. and Frank :. Dodge of
| the government survey. AT Ainapo they
met the party from kapapala ranch. in
! Guiding Julian MonSarrat. chief and out
| filter OF the expedition: Mrs. Il. X. Ora
| ham of New York. and native attend
| ant with five native guides anu packers.
| Fresh horses and mules were there sup
/ piled by MonSarrat, ali animals of superior
| quality. A large tent WAS taken along,
with double supply of blankets and store
of provisions
Visiting the Crater.
At II am the cavalcade of twenty-ffv
animals left Ainapo for .he long climb
of four thousand feet to the upper sta
ton of the ranch above the woods where
the night was to be spent. The trail led
us for mile after mile over fine pasture
land. and through koa groves always
climbing at pretty steep grade but We
kept on at good gait, making occasional
stops to allow the pack animals to eaten
up with us Toward the upper limit of
vegetation few wild cattle were seen. and
one of the guides shot Il COW. which sup
piled fresh beef for the trip. \ halt had
been made to water the ANIMALS at the
highest water hole. 6.,hW feet up. For for
tY-eight hours they remained without wa
ter. except a little from melting snow
Kegs OF water were packed ior the party.
The mountain camp reached at :;
= IN. al an elevation OF ann feet. Mr.
Graham occupied the tent. the W hiteS be
slowed themselves in a hut of loX12. and
the natives threw up rude wick y-Up OF
bushes. The mercury sank 10 A. degrees
in the night. but fuel was abundant and
the camp ire glowing. When the be, (
arrived long strips Were wound S1.ral!y
around sticks and broil.t over the Goals
With these steaks. hot coffee, sweet poja-
toes and canned goods. and the appctilys
engendered 10y the ride and the cold. SUP
per WAS luxurious. In the early morning
the sunrise was glorious. ana the wide.
prospect magnificent around the I2o miles
of Puma and kau coasts. with their deli
| IL