The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-08-04
ON THE BRINK
ora Live VoIcauo-A Correspondent
Visit 20 Nlnuna Loa.

ora Live VoIoauo-A Correspondents
Visit 10 Nlauna LOa.
A correspondent writing from Hilo
gives the following description of Maui
ma Loa In eruption:
Mounted on native horses and mules,
with blankets, canteens and four days
provisions, we moved along the crest Of
Kilauea, where the trail led up the
mountain side through dense forests OF
koa and tree ferns.
From here the volcano was not Wis.
Ible, but we watched the direction OF
Malina Ioa. and as the shades of night
grew thicker the reflection OF hght
above the crater and lava flows inten-
sified till the whole western heavens III
up almost with a blazing light.
"A few miles more and the now OF
1881 was reached; our course was now
changed and we started direct Tor the
column Of smoke some fifteen miles
away. BY noon we reached small OPP
enlng alongside the flow, which was the
upper limit OF horse travelling.
"Our horses were staked and lunch
hurriedly prepared after partaking Oh
which each made an individual pack for
himself. consisting Of hard tack canned
meats and canteen OF water.
'.At 9 o'clock at night we reached n
point from which the lava flow to the
table lands near the Humuulu sheep
station was in full view from few hum
dred feet of the source to the very end,
a distance Of about sixteen miles. NO
pen will evoke the grandeur OF that
sight and none who saw 1t will ever for
get 1t.
within hearing OF the roar Of the
molten lava as It splashed and surged
in Its mad career down the mountain
side. we stood breathless.
IAN we're loath to turn their eyes from
this beautiful panorama, but 1t was get
ting late. so we started once more for
the top OF the ridge and at 1880 discov-
cred n flow of warm IA lava, not
knowing the nature Of the thing. Be
yond this the guide advised halt till
daylight.
''Tired and weary we lay down on the
warm lava and rested till morning. Our
course was now changed to avoid the
'a-a' flow, and after two hours Of hard
travel and crossing n hot flow we final
~ reached the top Of the ridge.
"a mile and half away there stood
a single cone, one hundred feet high and
three hundred feet in diameter at the
top, shooting up vast quantities OF molt-
en- lava, which formed like the top
branches OF tree as 1t reached Its
height and turned to descend. So red
was-t the glow that 1t was plainly seen
to be in fluid state even from this dis
lance.
"Aii but ten of the party were content
to turn back from here. The more Gu
rious then pressed forward, crossing a
flow with only blackened crust to hold
up our weight, while great crevlces or
red-hOt lava yawned. and the soles OF
our shoes grew hotter as warning not
TO tnrry, and in all possible but care
full haste we reached old lava near the
cone and assembled small peak OF an
extinct but stu hot cone only one hum
dred feet away from the boiling cone.
From this elevation we looked
through an opening In the side, from
which rushed the stream Of lava we saw
the previous evening.
"The boiling, surging surface In the
crater and the eruptlons which occur
red every few seconds accompanied by
the roar and rumbling sounds, filled the
beholders with fear, who were content
with a few minutes gaze. and then
sought safer ground more distant.
"Halt a mile above this was large
crevIce leading up the mountain side
emitting much smoke. This we sup
posed to be the scene Of the second
fountain n few days previous.
Two days more we were again at the
Volcano house, having viewed the sight
Of n lifetime"