The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-06-16
Kilauea Greatest Active Volcano in the World

readily De appreciated 10sFs Is moth
ing else like II in all the world. and
il is well worth a journey around the
world TO see
For the information OF those who
have never seen ts.is wonderful frepit
of the world it is well to explain that
kilauea consists OF two pits or craters.
The crater proper. which is nearly two
miles long by one mile and one-half in
width. and the inner crater. called
Halemaumau. which means in English.
House of Eternal Fire The main era
ter is from four hundred TO six hun
dred feet below the surrounding
bluffs. while no one knows the depth /
OF Halemaumau. but it is generally /
estimated TO be at present about nine /
hundred feet This inner crater is 4
probably 500 feet across the longest 4
way by 500 the shortest. being eliptical 1
in formations In periods OF great act /
ivity Halemaumau fills with lava to /
the brim. sometimes pouring over on /
10 the floor of the main crater In ]
-Ss1 Halemaumau was a molten lake |
like some giant cauldron. boiling and /
boiling. Gradually the molten mass
would rise higher and higher. sput-
the rim would be made. and the mott
en- lava would go pouring out over the
floor of the main crater. Then relief
from the pent-up forces below would
be afforded and after a time there
would be sinking of the level of the
boiling mass to a considerable dis
lance below the rim
This inner crater has several times
I . raa1
being further to the south and east
than that of 1891. which filled up and
gave way to the present crater.
The trip over the bed of the main
crater to Halemaumau is one of the
most weird that can be found in the
world. Leaving the hotel. either on
| foot or horseback. you follow a well
/ kept trail down the sides of the rim to
| the floor of the crater. where you set
out over a lava bed of recent forma-
/ ton. so recent that even the fern life.
/ which is the most primitive of plant
/ life known. and which will grow long
/ before disintegration of the lava takes
J place. has not been able to take root
One does not travel far after reaching
this lava floor until coming to the
| great chasm, as it is called, break
in the moor made some time in the
eighties. This chasm extends clear
ccross the crater from one rim to the
| other. 1t was made one night when
lava was pouring over the bed of the
crater in little streams. Suddenly there
was a great quaking and the hot lava
just underneath the surface. which
was trying to force itself along from
under one of the little hills that had
been piled up. like those shown in the
Illustration. broke away. the .oor of
the crater was torn asunder AZ into IL
yXyfpI.I pn VI R&sater seeking the lowest
level
Tradition has it that party of Wis
itors were out on the floor of the era
ter when this chasm was formed, ii be
ing the custom, in those days. to visit
the crater at night, as the sight was
more magnificent after dark. Little
streams of lava poured over the floor.
but the surface cooled and hardened
so quickly that one on foot could cross
over a fresh stream of lava within a
very few minutes after it had passed
along. OF course one could not stand
on il. for it would burn shoes, and
there was great danger in crossing it,
for often the surface would give under
the feet like thin ice will do. But.
strange to say, no one was ever lost
in these night excursions This party
that were cut off by the formation of
the chasm were so long absent from
the hotel that a searching party
was sent out to see what had happen
ed and the searchers discovered them
on the brink of the chasm. unable to
get across. The rescuers returned to
the hotel. where planks were secured
and these were laid across the chasm
so that the imprisoned visitors could
get over.
This chasm is now crossed by 3
| bridge sufficiently strong TO bear up {
horse. Continuing on toward Hale
maumau. there is a gradual ascent
as the building up process, which ha:
been going on through the ages. /:
gradually, but none the less certainly
building up a small mountain within
the main crater Here and there vii
be seen steam which comes from tn
bowels of the earth. pouring out o
little cracks in the lava. And wha
fantastic pranks and freaks the Law
PLAYED when IL was pouring over tn
floor of the crater. Here IL has bull
up a mound which has cracked an
checked in all manner of fantastic nj
ures as it cooled. Another mound c
lava takes on the form OF an India
wickiup. while still another looks liz
a great roll OF black moiasses candy
As you follow on over the trail 70
re notice by the sound that here an
re there you are passing over sma
re cave. Lava. when in the molten col
I'd Sition. cools very quickly on the So
at face. while that underneath will ST
Is be at white heat 1nis cooling proce:
nd of the surface causes gases to for
he underneath. which oftimes results
nd an explosion, throwing the surfa'
re lava into all sorts of shapes At 9th
i'd times the molten lava finally breal
,ot away at some weak point in the cru
be and goes travelling onward. leaving 4
es- crust standing like an arch with ca
81 itv beneath Sometimes very console
ga able caves will be formed in this va
Of but generally the cavity is only sm'
nv one. not over two to four feet IN dep
Ill and the width Of the lava .strea
Is. which may be thirty or may be NJ
he dred feet
rer While speaking OF the flow OF la'
rs. II NAV be well 10 say that lava dc
ts- not ike water. always seek its lev
a.. ~rau. - fa% IN q civ