The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-12-30
PELEE'S BURNING HOME.
GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF KIL-
 AUEA IN ACTION

AUEA IN ACTION.
 Looking Down on Red Mass of Mol len Rock Whi Ie Standing on the
 Undermined Brink-The Awful Gran-
 duer of inc Scene.
 The following splendid article and graphic description of an eruption Of Mount Pele appeared in the December 4th issue of the Pacific Commercial Advertiser" published in Honolulu, Ha- Waii. and was written by John A. Mat thewman. Mr. Matthewman is a son of ex-City Attorney Charles A. Matthew man, of this city, and is making a splendid success in the city of the far Pacific: .@.... ....
 Thanksgiving evening, about eight o'clock, our party of ten, including two guides, started out from the Volcano House and down the steep and well worn trail that leads on to the brittle lava floor of Kilauea. The cool night air made extra wraps acceptable, all though portions of the trail, where it crossed or approached steam cracks, were decidedly warm. On the left tow cred for some distance the beetling side walls of idauea, while to the right ten thousand feet above, glowed with great brilliancy the summit crater of Moku- awcoweo Back of us could barely be discerned faint glimmer from the point of departure. The moon was fit full, seldom showing herself except through the clouds. -.1.. .,s<
 Impressed with the awful grandeur of our surroundings, silence was more elo- quent than words. In Indian file, for 2 about two and half miles, we worned our way toward a spot over which hung a pink haze, finally leaving the horses at a small rock corral. ....
 Approaching Halemaumau at place to the right of the blow holes, with a suddenness that almost took ones breath away, we found ourselves over the great illumined pit, most of the floor of which boiled and surged, a great red mass of molten rock. Now and then. at the beckon of Pele down below, portions of the side walls would fall in with a rumble and roar terrifying to the watchers, but nevertheless fascinating. One of the guides pointed out in back of us a crack about foot wide which had come but the day before. It was evident too that the flashes of light came chiefly from under the wall on which we stood. I freely admit that these two facts made me uneasy, and I finally persuaded the head guide to es- eort my wife and myself further to the right toward the brink on the westward side, as nearly opposite as possible to our first position. Some of the other members of the party started with us, but they soon desisted, there being no rail, and the treaeherous surface often breaking down with our weight.
 The attempt was we'll rewarded, how ever, for, besides the greater feeling of security, we could see then there was in E fact a cave under the other wall, and that there was playing in the abysmal depths a fire fountain, weird and Won- derful in the extreme. With a great glare of light, a stream of liquid rock would shoot into the air, spattering now on one side, now on the other. The great hole resounded again and again, as this elected material fell back whence it came. At times, between the fountain bursts, the core of the main disturbance seemed to draw in the mol ten mass on it's circumference, thus making circle of white light distinct from the rest of the floor which had then become somewhat cooled, bright light, however, showing through it's cracks.
 Viewing such a sight, we became un- conscious of the time, until the guide called our attention to the lantern of the other guide disappearing toward the corral. Yet, before going for the horses, we descended into one of the steam caves, and, exploring with sputtering candle, made collection of stalactites that more resemble "nigger babies' than anything else. Then we scorched postal cards over a very hot and dry crack as realistic souvenirs for eastern friends.
 With Halemaumau fresh in our minds, the return ride was even more impressive than the other. Most of the time nothing could be heard but the crunching of the lava under the harses' feet. The animals themselves needed no guiding, and all the riders had to do Wc1S " lliuoC' tiiooit Wno oAO"iJ sinking behind black cloud- bank, but to its sight the outline of Mauna Loa was clearly visihle, rising from strata of white clouds, contrast as distinct as it was unusual. Above the constant flare of Mokuawcoweo was the clear blue ether, while still higher was a mass of clouds delicately pinked by the summit fires. -..
 Ten, black. silent, centaur-like figures at last wenaed their way through the trees and ferns along the steep trail up ward and outward, each one having passed another milestone on life's jour ney. a#~ J. A. M.