The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-07-17


OF activity there.
At the second break there are two
cones close beside each o.her-perhaps
30 feet apart. The lower of these was
not active but evidently had been so
within two or three days. The upper
Of these cones is the seat Of the present
activity. The interior Of the cone was
a little more than half filled with
molten lava which was constantly be
ing thrown up in great masses hun
dreds of feet high; these would break
into countless fragments, numbers OF
which fell on the sides OF the cone
and about il. From a gap on the side
between the two cones there was pour
ing q great stream of lava 80 fee.
wide Striking the back of the lower
cone it was DETECTED from it's course
to the left, otherwise il might have
followed the course Of the 80 or go
flow. Noiselessly, and without a rip
pie on its surface except at the lower
part of its course, where 1t takes On
a wavy motion, this mighty stream
rushes down the side of the mountain
at the rate Of fifty or sixty miles an
hour. 1t continues on down the noun
tain side in a straight line four or
five miles, confined between low banks
MY ItSl dpdlI, IiICAl II iiN4uSo -NA4'A
flows less rapidly. Sublime, magnif-
cent beyond description, awe inspiring
was that great, silent rush of lava: a
scene once seen never 10 be forgotten,
The whole region about the cone i
covered with new flows; one OF these,
an IA flow, went a considerable dis
lance towards Kau, and another Two
or three miles down the 80 flow. Al
night the scene is one of great beauty
from distance; with the long line OF
fire extending down the side of ths
mountain, and the magnificent FIRE
works of the cone. The only noise
to be heard is that which comes from
the cone. and which very much -
sembles the dashing of the waves
against sea cliffs: the sound gradually
increasing in force to a roar and then
diminishing until it was scarcely
audible.
The writer was one Of a party ~
thirty who started for the scene OF r1e
flow. Of the party fourteen reached 2
point where the erupting cone could
be viewed TO advantage, and ten %
these went TO the cone, spending some
time there watching the flow OF lava,
and some of them even climbing the
adjacent cone and looking down into
pllS DO1lIlS ldht vi ldNd -hOl IL iANFL
all. of our party would have reached
the flow under other circumstances.
In the first place it was over an En-
tirely new trail for fully half OF the
way Again, the party was too large.
And lastly a number of the party not
at all accustomed to walking.
Undoubtedly the best way to reach
the spot from Hilo is by the route our
party took-Shipman's Keawewai-tr2l
and thence up the so flow. There i
somewhat of hardship in the trip, bur
nothing very much so. The Creates
difficulty of the trip was the long walk
up a part of the so flow. However
some of the party walked all the Wa
from the Volcano House and yet got
there. There is no reason why horses
can not be taken further up the flow
Our party suffered much for want O.
water, which difficulty can be Obviated
by having help engaged to carry =.
The trip would occupy four days.
Even were there ND eruption gOin (
on visit to this place would -
we'll worth the expenditure of time and
effort spent in reaching il. 1t is from
this spot that nearly all of Hawaii :
most recent flows have come. On
every hand are signs of the most viO-
lent volcanic action, great cones with
vast pits, masses CO lava piled in tne
widest confusion, and huge bOuldeES
Strewn everywhere AS one stands n
this weird spot and looks about him
he feels that it is here where Pe'e
has her real home
a few incidents connected with ne
visit of our party may be OF Interest.
Three of the party spent the niE--
n,,. rl- -.
said:
1T was grand, but that it was a. fear
full position to be in, for the whc,%
place seemed TO be ON fire Anoth--
who spent the night alone on an g.
flow that was still hot said. y tel-
at times as if it was impossible for -
to come out of the place alive
The main part of the party which
reached the seat of activity was wO-6-
ing it's way upwards after dark through
the broken lava, lighted by the glow
from the cone, when suddenly -Es
guide called out, Stop, boys, We Vii
have to get out of this, this al J.
getting hot" He went on ahead aIj
returning in a few moments said. ''Yol
can stay here or go back: but I can
take you no farther up tonight: = J.
not safe" So making ourselves -
comfortable as the jagged surface q
an IA flow would permit of we spent
the night on the flow. The heat was
comforting at that altitude-n, Geo
feet-but the fact that the spot was
getting hotter every moment was very
diSQuieting. The next morning i was
discovered that We had run into the
end of an "a flow which must have
come down the day previously.
At the break of day the party was
on the summit of the largest of the %
cones. in full view OF the active cone,
which was about one and half miles
distant. By the aid of fine field glass
the distance was lessened very mUcn.
As We were watching the lava play
in the crater of the cone, suddenly
two figures were observed climbing up
towards the summit and to what seem
ed to us almost certain death for q
constant shower of lava was falling ~