The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-09-29

concerning the date of the last eruption
of Cinder Cone. No white man or In
dian now living is known to have been
an eyewitness of the eruption.
A geologisf from San Francisco infers,
after much research, that the last erup-
ton took place in January, 1850. An old
emigrant road yet i'll use passes by the
base of Cinder Cone, and number of
persons are living in the northern part
of the Sacramento valley who crossed
the trail in I85r when enigrating to
California. They report that solitary
bush growing near the summit of the
cone was apparently as large then as
now.
On the other hand, dead pine trees are
not usually supposed to maintain their
form through more than thirty years
OF weathering. 1t would be unusual if
at the end of a generation dead pines
should not have disintegrated and dis
appeared; and although the dry climate
may have reserved the withered trunks
for more than the usual time, yet it
seems reasonable to assume that the
last volcanic eruption took place within
the nineteenth century
The history of this remarkable little
volcano, which is probably the smallest
of known volcanoes, embraces two
periods of eruption, strongly contrasted
in their phenomena, and separated by a
considerable interval of repose.
The first and violent eruption prob
ably occurred nearly hundred years be-
fore the American Revolution At this
time were formed Cinder Cone and the
ashheld. Within the latter part of this
period some lava was effused, and this
was partly covered by succeeding show
ers of ashes.
The date of the formation of Cinder
Gone is judged from some trees which
its base.
Almost two hundred years after this
first eruption, Cinder Cone poured forth
a great quantity of lava. The last erup-
ton, which is called by biologists an
ELUSIVE eruption, was of quieter ma
tuTe
The first eruption doubtless spit forth
steam and gases to great height and,
at times, flames. Cinders and ashes
brought utter desolation to the place.
Huge molten bombs, some of them eight
or ten feet in diameter, were hurld in
the air and, falling upon the steep slopes
of the cone. tumbled to the base, where
they collected in great numbers.
The ash and cinder field extends eight
miles in every direction from Cinder
Cone Upon portions of this ash field
large pine forests now stand.
In the second upheaval stream of
lava poured forth from the crater. The
pressure within the cone burst the upper
part of its walls, and the lava issued
forth from the southeastern side of the
crater, forming lava field whose great
est length is about three miles and whose
depth, as shown in places at the outer
edges, is more than 100 feet.
The lava as it cooled built up the por-
ton broken down, so that the cone is
remarkably symmetrical. Where one
comes first upon the lava field and Gin
der Cone the impression of newness is
very vivid.
The great trees at the edge of the lava
appear to have withered but a few
months before. One looks in vain for
at seeing no visible signs of
heat within the thick lava field. Indeed.
in winter time there is solid ice within
the crater.
1t IS difficult to ascend Cinder Cone at
any point except where the lava flowed.
The sides of the upper portion of the
cone are made up of volcanic fragments
ranging in size from that of a pea to
chunks four or FIVE inches in thickness.
At each step these slide down under
ones weight. The slopes are steep.
On attaining the summit one is sur
prlsed to ind that the crater has two
rims, one within the other and separated
by shallow moat which encircles the
great funnel-shaped depression in the
center
The lava field covers large part of
an ancient lake bed, part of which is
now covered with water One can see
IN places where the lava is superposed
upon the original bottom
The lava flowed into Lake BidweI1 and
changed its course so that the lake adj
Eanced upon the forests. In this way
onag Lake was formed. The snags are
the trunks OF trees killed by
having their roots submerged +
Snag Lake has no outlet and all its I
''"A1~A S<NOSpA llidt 1OSl Dy &. evaporation
must escape through the lava field. Dur.
ng the rainy season, on account of the
barrier which the lava imposes. the
water rises over dozen feet. On its
southwest border the lava field forms
-wo small basins, each of which con- I
aims water in wet weather.
C1nder Cone is situated in wild and |
region. Ten miles to the |
northeast Is Lassen Peak, a snow covered |
mountain. All about are vast forests
abounding in game, mountain streams t
7een1ng with front and broad fertile +
meadows where the grass in summer
grows waist high
here are no permanent settlers in the
,egion Immediately about Cinder Cone. I
nus lar the region has been too re-
note. Stock IS sometimes found in the
nils. but only market hunters and pelt /
rappers frequent the country.
The early coming of the Western Pa
.It1C II afIWav fhrOfrUf, pt,,.,,. ...-.--