The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-04-30

| ter, and stood out boldly in the intenS
| light from the incandescent fountain
On the left, with its base nearly reache'
| by the liquid streams flowing out from
the lake into which the cascade fell, wa
another long pile of debris that reachet
to the level of the plateau B. / SHOULD
say here that the sides of this plateau
| looked to be about one hundred fee
deep TO where they met the edge Of tbs
| lower basin. The basin itself occupied
about one-third of the space bounded
by the ancient walls of the crater
Flowing down the sides OF the symet
rical cone that the falling stream Of lava
was rapidly forming, were many bright
rivers of liquid light that, spreading
as they flowed away, and crossing and
recrossing in a tangle of bright lines
formed a lake of rivulets that ever
widening, mingling, spreading and in
terlacing, presented unique and beau
tiful appearance. On the extreme right
hand verge of this lower basin detached
pools of fire showed that while dark
crust was forming on the surface, be-
meath the entire area of the basin was
Overfowed by the melted lava.
We watched steadily the grand foun-
tain playing before us, and called fire.
quently to each other to note when some
tall jet, rising far above the head of
the main stream, would carry with it
immense masses of white-hot glowing
rock, that as they fell and struck upon
the black surface of the cooling lava,
burst like meteors in a summer sky.
AS soon as we had reached the sum-
nit level of the mountain we heard the
muffled roar of the long pent up gases
as they rushed out of the opening that
their force had rent in the basins solid
bed. And now that we were in full view
of the grand display, our ears were fill
ed with the mighty sound, as of a heavy
surf booming in upon a level shore,
while ever and anon a. mingled crash
and break of sound would call to mind
the heavy rush of ponderous waves
against the rocky cliffs that girt Ha-
wall
Towards our left the party wall that
shut in the crater of Pohaku Hanalei
across from cliff to cliff at a
lower elevation than the other bounda-
ries to Mokuaweoweo. From the broken
appearance of the angle formed by this
party wall and the main cliff on the
southeast side, we judged that with a
B, and from thence, by means of the
heaped up pile of debris spoken of be-
fore, get down to the level of the lower
basin. A plan was arranged to attempt
it the next morning, but it was not car
RED out. Looking along the rugged out
line of the crater's edge towards our
right, we noticed a vast IA flow that
would cut us off from exploring, in that
direction. Following on the sky line of
he beetling cliff to where it joined the !
wall that bounded the southwest side !
Of the crater G, we saw, framed as it |
we're by the eastern and western wall, !
he uneven outline of Manua Kea. Clear
md cold looked that distant mountain /
Peak, but not as clear as was the bright /
light of the lava stream below, nor as |
old as was the wind that eddied around /
he crater's edge.
At Night.
he jet looked loftier, and gazing intent |
y into the fiery column with a good /
glass that we had, we could see the /
impid, sparkling upward jet rising |
With tremendous force from out an in L
lake. Following up the glow /
ng stream, we saw it arch itself and /
,eautifuI cascade While the ascending |
tream was almost silvery in it's intense |
the falling sheet was slight
y dulled by cooling, and thus the two
we're ever rising falling, shooting up in |
brilliant jets, and showering down with |
mingled dashes of bright light and |
shooting spray, while in the lake out of |
which rose the fountain and into which |
= I,0 nj xyn6l
thousand mimic waves, and fiery foam |
;wirled round and round. Upon it's sur
lace danced myriad jets and bubbles, !
md from it's edge flowed out the rivulets |
IF lava that in a tangled maze of lines
covered all the lake. There was not a |
moment when the eye felt wearied, not |
second when the ear was dulled to the |
solemn diapason of the mighty jet and
all. But soon fierce trembling of our
.ired bodies and at once we realized |
hat it was freezing cold. Our tent was |
yet to be put up, tea made and blankets |
spread. With last lingering look at
he fountain of fire, look that took in |
Ill the grandeur of the secene, we turn |
I'd away and sent about our prepare |
ions for the night.
When, after leaving our horses, we
pushed eagerly forward and suddenly |
ound ourselves on the crater's edge, all
'ur senses reeled under the influence of
he scene. The symptoms of approach |
ng mountain sickness had become more
marked after our arrival upon the sum- |
nit plateau, and our nerves had been
strung up to concert pitch by intense
nxiety to reach the crater before the |
light. set in, as we'll as by the rarifica
ion of the air and the unwonted cold.
1t was noticeable then, that as one
fter the other paused on the edge of
he precipitous wall of the crater, and
re had given vent to our excitement in
hree cheers for the pioneer lady, that
sudden accession of vertigo, induced |
y terrified glance into the depths
elow us, caused a hasty retreat of a
ew PAGES, and sudden prostration of
he system. In short, we weakened"
nd in few minutes the occasion call
d for the use of those funny looking
ms in vogue on the Kilauea.