Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-18
THROUGH LAVA on STILTS,
Thrilling Experience of m English
Traveller in Hawaii
From the London Mail.

Mr.. A. r. Watson has jus: had one of the
most thrilling experiences that ever. be-
fell mountaneer. He assembled the Maui
ma Loa volcano, in the Hawaiian Islands,
while it was in a state OF furious eruption.
The party numbered five. with guides pack
mules. and weeks supply of provisions.
BY evening of the first day about a third
of the hazardous climb had been achieved
and the men camped in a grove of palms
and ferns
AT noon on the succeeding day all the
members CT the party. with the exception
of MIR. Watson, concluded TO examine the
north cone of the crater. while Mr. Watson.
filled with the idea that the southern cone
was the most interesting. separated from
his companions and guides and moved in
that direction. After a weary and danger
Gus climb he arrived at a promontory of
rock and earth. Close upon the inside of
this knob a great river of lava was bound
ing in a straight line down the mountain
while about 800 feet above the slope of
the Hill, the crater. like the mouth of some
internal monster, was pouring forth melted
stone.
Mr.. Watson sat for considerable time
probably a couple Of hours. gazing upon
the vas estaaFs If rolling. loving burst
Ing fire rushing down the side of the noun
tam. Some thousand or more feet below
4 W
Mr.. Watson observed through his glasses
seemed to have wonderful powers of resist
ing the attack of the flames
Toward night he arose from his seat be
low the rocks to go over the summit down
the hill and walk out between the lava on
the side which he was to cross. He thought
| that his eyes had been resting too long Oh
running lava and that he could see such
stream i'll whichever quarter he might
lGOk; 50 he went forward.
But he had been mist AIKEN While h
had been sitting with his back to the di-
rcction from which ne had come and in
which ne must go, with his eyes on the
flowing stream. enchanted with its marvels
there had broken from the lower edge of
the crater. and some feet to the north of
the one he was watching, second flow.
lie started on down and had proceeded
several hundred feet when. to his horror
and amazement he discovered that the new
stream of lava ran directly into the earlier
stream The streams joined, and his re-
treat had been cut off He hemmed in
by running rivers of fire.
As he meditated on the best means of es-
cape his eye fell upon the singular forest
at the bottom of the incline and he thought
OF the heat-defying properties of that wood.
II he could only turn the bunch which
grew above him into service. All, he had
it-stiltsi He had been AN expert on stills
when boy. and felt certain his skill had
not fOrSaken him. Drawing a stout-bIaded
knife from his pocket. he began hewing at
the base of one of the smallest trees The
Wood was of the species known as iron
wood. When the blade grew dull he whet-
ted it ON the rocks. All through the night
he worked, while the terrible furnaces
belched above him.
BY daylight he had the stills made, and
mounting them, started off to the edge of
the flow. The wood smnldered bur did
not blaze as he waded through the lava
Tn" heat was frightfu blistering his face
and hands. As he arrived at the opposite
edge of the river of fire one charred silt
broke off, but eager hands grasped him
man e
the mules, in which manner he was taken
TO rancher's house. Mr.. Watson is at
present receiving medical attention, but is
making rapid progress.