The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-30
HAWAII WITH THE LID OFF.
MAMA LOA, THE VOJCANO, SAID
TO BE IN ERUPTION.


tions-successive Periis of tho City of Hilo.
An eXagReration Characteristic OF South Sea
news seems to color the report from the Ha-
waiian Islands which says that there Is good
ground for fearing that the crest Of Maunn Loa
has been blown of by volcanic forces. that the
sea has flooded the blazing crater. and that the
island OF Hawaii has been shattered In the
wild convulson Of nature. II Is probable that
things are by no means so bad as reported.
Merely as matter OF world physics. there Is
nothing improbable in the news OF the blowing
TO pieces OF such an island as Hawaii There
Is any quantity Of evidence to show that such
smashes were OF frequent occurrence in com
paratvely recent geological periods. and that
the shattering OF an island only as large as the
State OF Connecticut 10 a tride to volcanic
forces But to connect the blowing of Of the
crest Of Mauna Loa and the flooding Of its era
ter from the sea shows mistaken idea OF the
volcano. The crest OF the volcano covers All
area "a large as staten Island. and even II that
were blown Off the cavity would still be at the
altitude Of at least 10000 feet above the sea.
The difficulty lies In tho stock volcano Of the
picture books. Any ono attempting to draw
his idea OF volcano would make sharp
cone with very steep sides. too steep to exist In
nature and to be found only on a carefully
sharpened lead pencil Top this cone of with
U
ing overhead ana that lie the stock volcano.
But It is not the Hawaiian volcano. In all
the islands there is nothing like this. The
Hawaiian volcano Ia only big hole In the
ground and cannot DO seen under ordinary
conditions until the traveller Is right at the
brink. The smoke cloud Ia seldom seen /:
never unless there Ia some great activity In
the crater. The eruptions are never at the
craters. but for the most part miles away from
the blazing pools Of lava and the craters have
never been known to cast anything into the
air above their rim walls and the fountains OF
lava which they display are OF scanty height.
These points are to be kept In mind when there
is activity in the Hawaiian volcanoes. for no
ideas based on Nesuvius and Etna will help to
an understanding Of them
All the islands Of the group are Jagged with
extinct craters. the cinder heaps OF dead voca-
noes. Hawaii is the only one where the activ-
ity of the under world yet finds its fiery way to
visible vent Earthquakes are common In
every island, and hot springs may lie found
even in Niihau. which seems to have been the
first OF the islands to cool of. but lava lakes and
rivers and fire pits open to the sight are to be
found only on Hawaii. There are three volca-
noes on the island. Mauna Kea at the north
Mauna Loa at the south. and Hualalai, rising
to its minor eminence OF about a mile
from inc northwestern llhnk OF Mhuna
Ioa. Mauna Kea. the white mountain"
has long since ceased it's activity. Not even
the most dimly remembered tradition shows
i other than 1t Is to-day. gaunt peak rising
from the unaterable summer at its foot to the
eternal winter which keeps its crest shrouded
in snowilelds and glaciers whence the name
Hualalai. with no more, altitude than 1920
feet. seems like n hillOck under the mass OF
Mapna Kea, with 1890 feet and Mnpna Loa,
but once in eruption This was the Kaupulehu
flow of 1901. which arose from Az outbreak on
the lower slope Of the mounta in and poured
combinations and charms to stop the flow. but
all was vain until Kamehameha the Great cut
"a lock OF his own hair and threw 1t into the
river of fire. At once the lava cooled and tho
eruption ceased, and Hualalai has given no
Mauna loa has two craters in which activity
is manifested more or less continuously, On
the lower SLOPE is kilauea. at an elevation Of
3,!7l feet This crater is as well known as 1t is
posi- Bile to make any scenic attraction which
may be reached by stage or even by wheel; 1t
has its years of inactivity. when there is little
general Kilauea keers a warm, corner Of its
only recently removed its activity after sew
era years Of rest During that period the
T6e lava floor was scorchng to s walk on
even though several years had passed
since it, period OF incandescence., the pit was
filled with swirling fumes OF metals boiling in
the subtcrranean crevices. and strange rum
blings and crackings were heard. But the
in the heart OF the rocks. A few months ago
the, pit filled once more with lava. and the lakes
and fountains Of fire have shown fresh activity.
s its a are manifest and them sS only sr @r bre
I crntSr rsrs re sa IN G he way
t4'overcome which restrain many who would
LIKE to so the t 9Ee rhsre is
visions Tor the Journey and to sustain the
shock Of passing from tropical heat to glacial
cold. All thes" difficulties have combined to
make the summit crater of Mauna Loa a spot
rarely visited hy men.
over to the north Mauna Kea is majestic. and
xed cloud TIE s5ter PEAK s il P, the south
more ort than hundred feet difference Of altitude
in favor Of Mauna Kea, but the difference
long, even, slope III every direction from the
summit to the sea. and even the summit is a
part Of tina. long f2t curve without prominent
Mauna Loa rarely has enough snow even at
s%. h saF Of be Wnas dGwn Ss
the air 81 its moisture before it reaches
the freezing attitudes; This same insg.
! Al, the Volcano House, on the brink Of the
| Kilauea crater, Mauna Loa rises 10000 feet
os yet .ha sops 81 is
| ley d.pressions that the massive mountain
continues TO seem no more than hill. Az the
| weoweo, and 1t is a long and weary climb be-
| fore the mountaneer can stand on the brink
| and look down into the incandescent lava.
The few travellers who have improved the
| infrequent opportunity to see Nokuaweoweo
| in activity and have essayed tho climb have
| generally started from the Volcano House.
| whence the trip TO the summit NAV be made In
two days. Lately n German Apinist has as
| cended the mountain on its shorter western
slope and proved the practicabtIlty Of riding 70
| the last stretch Of the slope. This route will
add greatly to the number OF visitors, II the
| present eruption does not put new face on
| that side of the mountain
Starting from the Volcano House, the trail
| winds at the edge OF the timber 1t Is high
enough for the air to be chilly, and .unfavorabe
| for much vegetation. and the lava is too new to
afford more than the smallest pockets Of thin
| soil in which scanty ferns may sprout and play
| their part in adding humus to prepare for
sturdicr Growtns. At the timber line there Is
nothing but fern and ohelo berries. the sweet
and hardy fruit which the old myths conse,
| Grated to Pele as the goddess of the fires OF
the mountain, For few miles the trail not tc
| he distinguished by eyes less keen than those
OF one OF the very few Hawaiians competent
70 serve as a guide on this intIequent eI.
timber such, as, it is After leaving
| this poor shelter there is nowhere enough
shade to cover mouse, Even the grass van
ishes, Only here and there ia IL posi- Bile to fine
| n few Stuntpu sDpnrS mock etel AWAY In Chinks