The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-07-22
THE ERUPTION OF 1852

LIE ENUT HUN OF 1907
The following poem. written on the
OF Mauna Loa in 1852 by Rev.
Titus Coan. the copy of which has been
furnished by his daughter. will doubt
less be OF interest at the present time:
Hank, bark, while yet tbs dark
There's a deep. rumbling sound.
As of spirits under ground.
Rolling rocks for melting.
Gathering ore for smelling
Harki while night is still dark
In earth's hidden caves
There's a noise as OF waves
NIuttering. suffering.
Splashing, dashing,
Like the sound of the surf
Like the hOof on the turf.
y shake and a shiver.
\ quake and a culver.
Hush, hush,
For moment all is still
On yOn dark and distant hill.
Nature stands all awed and silent.
While stern Pluto lifts his trident.
Seated on a sulphur throne.
To us mortals all unknown.
In the distant realms of wonder
Vulcan FORCES bolts OF thunder.
Hank. bark again.
Still a rumbling now and then:
Old Vulcan blows: the furnace glOws.
Earth's ribs are rent; hot fumes find
vent.
Fire, fire, higher, still higher
The glaring columns rise.
4 burning flood like HelIs hot blood.
An angry cloud. with thunders loud.
Shoots upward To the skies.
And now on high. gainst flaming sky
Stand turrets, towers, minarets. spires.
All dazzling with devouring fires.
\ pillar of light, which scatters old
night;
Rising, sinking, standing, swayinC.
A red, molten fountain.
On dark, heaving mountain.
Look, look,
A pyramid of glowing Goals.
From whose direful vortex rolls
Curling smoke of every hue
Crimson, purple, sable. blue
Convolving clouds of varied dye.
Emblazoned on the fretted sky.
Sweeping like a comets tail.
Blazing like a meteor's trail.
Like the track of fierce Mars.
On his burning wheeled cars.
Like the bright, cleaning sword
In the hand of the Lord,
Down. down the mountains sides
\ fiery dragon glides.
Old marble melts along his way.
His eyes turn midnight into day.
His flaming tail is waved on high.
And sweeps nights watchmen from
the sky.
Hush, hush
There's a rush and a rattle
Like armies in battle,
Squadrons dashing; broad-sNOrdS
clashing,
Sabers cleaning. red blood streaming.
There's a break and a roar,
Like the wave on the shore,
Like the crash of dread thunder
RendinE ether asunder;
Like the fiat of God.
Shaking Earth with His nod:
Like the breath Of His ire
Setting Heaven on fire;
Like the roaring on high
When His chariots draw nigh:
Like the trump's direful blast
When Times cycles are past.
Smoke. fire, sulphur. nitre.
Glowing brighter and still brighter.
Bang. bang, bang, clang, clang. clang'
Harsh heavy, Shrill.
Ger mountain, dell and hill,
Heavens high artillery rang.
Flaming meteors dance around;
Burning whirlwinds sweep the ground
4 fiery hail from clouds above
Is scattered wide DER mountain side.
See, see,
Dread Typhoeus' forge in sevenfold
blast.
And lasting hills dissolving fast.
The glowing furnace fiercer CLOVIS;
The blood-red river hotter flows:
Rocks rend, roar, melt and disappear
Mingling in wild and mad career.
Clouds gather. Unfold, gyrate. brighten
Thicker, darken, thunder, tighten.
Sigh the winds, and howl and rave,
Driving hot cinders DER wildwood and
wave.
From morn till night, pale. yellow
light
Below. on high. shrouds earth and sky
Dark forests blaze in the flames rec
| rays.
Then vanish from sight. like a spectel
of night.
Upon the fiery tempest's breath
Desolation rolls on death.
All. Pele, dread Goddess of Fire
Why flash thine eyes with kindling ire
| Why stir afTesh thy everglowini
Goals.
While from thy throat this burnin.