The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-11-26
CONDITION OF THE
CRATER At PRESENT
RECENT ERUPTION DESCRIBED
BY A WITNESS-LAKE is FILL
ING UP IN MARKED DEGREE,

The recent activity of the volcano
attracted a number of people to Kilau-
ca this month. While few of the Wis
itorS from Honolulu had the opportun-
ity of viewing the volcano in eruption,
the majority of those who did make the
trip returned well satisfied with what
they had seen.
1t was early in the morning of Mon
day, November 10, that Halemaumau,
the inner crater, suddenly burst into
unusual activity. ID. Howard Hitch
cock and number of others happened
to be at the Volcano HOuse'at the time
and party was at once organized to
visit the pit. From what Mr.. Hitch
cock says, the display was remarka BILE.
1T was the finest display" he said,
that have witnessed since the erup-
ton of 1889. The center of activity
seemed to be on the side of the lava
lake. The lava did not burst into the
air in a small column, but was forced
upward in much larger size. There was
not very sharply defined cone, the
lava rising somewhat after the fashion
that water does in a large reservoir
when some sudden force is eXerted un-
derneath. The lava rose to a height of
perhaps fifty feet, the column being, l
should judge, about fifty feet in dame
ter. This activity would continue for
perhaps five minutes, then, suddenly,
there would be subsistence of the vol
canic forces and the lava would flow
back into the earth and all evidence Of
the outward flow would disappear leav-
ing only the hole through which the
lava was re-entering the earth. Then,
without any warning whatever, the
lava would again be forced upward.
There were several smaller lava cones
showing fire. The display of the fire
was very fine"
Mr.. Hitchcock and party remained
at the Volcano ouse for four days, and
during all of that time the volcano con-
tinued in activity. Two days after the
party left, the lake subsidized. There
was a renewal of the activity several
days later, but the eruption did not
continue.
The recent eruption forms but part
of the series of intermittent activity
that have characterized the volcano
during the present year. One of the
most striking and unusual features
that followed this last eruption of Ha-
lemaumau was the marked decrease in
the sulphur fumes that the pit gave
forth. Heretofore, visitors to the vol
cano have complained that they were
unable to see clear down to the bottom
of Halemaumau owing to the dense
volume of smoke, sulphur and steam
that filled the pit. Such a condition
was entirely absent last week. party
of five who visited the volcano from
Honolulu on Thursday had not the
slightest difficulty in seeing to the very
bottom of the pit during the day light.
There were only two small cones from
which were rising sulphur and steam,
and the columns were very small so as
not 10 oil hA via fpnf 10 ode
the pit above. The actual lake of dead
lava, could be distinctly seen as could
the formation and contour of the pit
itself. The two holes through which
the steam was finding vent were also
very plain to the naked eye.
There was very little wind prevail
ing at the time of this visit and the
small quantity of steam and sulphur
fumes that did arise hung over the pit
about a hundred feet above the edge.
Manager WaldrOn of the Volcano
House estimates that the lava lake is
now within $50 feet of the top. DUR
ing the past year the lava has risen,
he thinks, about 200 feet and at the
present rate of increase, the former
lines of the lava lake before II dropped
back into the crater win be regained.
No official measurement has been taxi
en- of the depth, however, the distance
being simply estimated.
There was ample evidence in the big
crater Of I[ilauea of activity. Clouds
of steam were rising from fully a hun
dred different cracks. The heat was
evident at all of these vents, nor did
Madam Pele's cabin and kitchen appear
to have lost any Of their torrid quail
ties. Alexander Lancaster, the guide