The Hawaiian gazette., 1896-05-08

which could hardly be determined from
cur location. These annexes az the ex
IRENE ends OF the main crater are yer,
much less in depth than the larger one
and extended in a northeasterly and
sOuthwesterly direction, the same as
that OF the longer axis OF the central
portion.
We were eneamped on the eastern
side OF the main crater, directly oppo-
site and facing the western wall OF No
kusweoweo, which is the highest Of all
tns inclosing precipiees. and the top OF
which is the true summit OF Mauna Loa,
al az elevation OF 1855 feet above sea
level.
Heights and Distances.
Heights and distances are always de-
ceptiye 70 the unframed eye al such ele-
nations, and in extremely rarifed air,
but the western wall seemed TO the
writer 10 Be not more than $50 or 200
feet high, judging from its appearance
as compared with the 500-foot pail OF
Cekshuna, on the western wall OF XII
Isuea. The eastern wall upon whose
verge We stood is considerably less in
height. and is broken into two distinct
portions by an extensive plateau, or
shelf. about 100 feet below the upper
edge. This second shelf is several hun
6red feet in width. and extends along
The whole southwestern side of the
main crater. and around 10 the extreme
south end OF il, 10 the gap which con-
meets with the southern annex. At the
northern end, the first or lower ter
race Is very low, perhaps not more than
forty OF fifty feet above the main floor,
and above that is another OF considera-
be greater height, and then the main
wall reaching 70 the summit Along
The western, southern and southeast
srn walls, there were no possible means
OF reaching the floor Of the crater, as
they are all perpendicular cliffs in
their upper portions, and nearly so all
The way down
Al the northwestern end il appeared
that there might be found q way OF
descent for q good climber 10 get 10
the pahOehoe floor at the bottom, but
that would involve q very long and
laborious detour over a rough trail sew
eral miles in length, and meme Of our
party cared 10 make the attempt. If
The descent were possible for any one,
The vieE obtained from the floor of the
crater could not have been as satisfac-
tory as that from the upper wall, as
The visitor would have been below the
level Of the lava lake, and looking up
zzrd and across a vast extent of bro
ken area. From an elevation Of FIVE
OF six hundred feet above the lake one
gets a birdseye view Of the whole scene
and takes in the whole in one general
outline. and is also saved the extreme
fatigue necessary 10 reach the lower
levels.
Description of the Crater.
As We found Mokuaweoweo on the
18th OF April, the main floor Of the
crater was a vast plain Of smooth pa
hoehoe, probably not very old in foTma-
ZION. but the result Of an overflow pre-
vious 10 the present flow. Small jets OF
steam we're visible at long intervals,
but 10 great evidence Of much heat
near the surface. The snow vanished
before il reached this lower floor,
which fact some Of the party claimed as
evidence that the pahoehOe was Of very
recent origin, but to my mind the melt
ing was caused by the heat radiating
from the active lake and fountains.
Al the southern end Of the crater
and somewhat nearer the western than
the eastern wall, was the great active
lake Of MokuaEeoweo, from which the
present eruption proceeds. Here again
ore must confess 10 an unwillingness
20 make estimates of length, breadth
and heights, under such conditions as
are found in a crater of such vast ex-
tent But in all my estimates Of the
present eruption have endeavored to
be on the safe side, and not TO oyerdraw
the picture.
Taking the western wall at a height
OF 100 feet as basis for all the others,
do not hesitate to put the length Of
the lake Of liquid fire at about 400 or
1900 feet in q northeriy and southeriy
direction, aid It's width at about two
thirds Of its length, but that is more
subject Of doubt, as we were looking
across the lake from east TO west. With
the width OF the main crater at one and
three-quarter miles, as given by ]. NJ
Alexander from his survey Of 1855, the
center OF the lake al the fountain must
have been about one mile from the
point Of view, OF a little west of the
centre Of the crater This lake is at the
top Of very fat cone, formed by its
own oTeriovs, and is constantly rising
in the same way as the lake Of Hale
maumau, in Kilauea, did previous to its
breakdown in March, 1891, and July,
1894.
OTerflOvs from all sides of the lake
extend hundreds OF feet in every direc-
ton, and al all times during our STAY.
and IN that way from one-third to one
half Of the old pahoehoe floor has al
ready been covered with new and fresh
deposits Of lava, which from our posi-
ton seemed TO be Of the IA variety. The
largest flow al the time Of our visit was
in sOutherly direction, and il prom
ised 10 MI a vast pit at that end Of the
crater, which pit think was left at the
time the last eruption ceased.
There was probably a liquid lake OF
lava on the location shown by Lydgate