The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-07-03

"There are certain examples of geo
logical forms that stand out in such
marked contrast from everything else
that they have become the world s
scenic wonders Niagara is one of
these. The Grand Canyon of the Colo
rado is another, and the Matterhorn
and the Bay of Naples. In my recent
studies. I have met with two localities
in the Pacific concerning which 1 have
made the statement to the residents
thereabouts that it may come to pass,
in time, that those localities Will come
tn he regarded as among the world S
great natural scenic types. Those two
places are the Bay of Opono, in the
island of Morea, Tahitian group, and
Milford Sound in New Zealand. 1 am
now inclined to add to this group OF
.House of the Sum- the great Caldera
Of HaIeakaIa. on the island of Maui"
The speaker was George c, Curtis,
artist-geoIogist, of the museum staf OF
Harvard University, who for seven
months past has been studying the
volcanic and coral problems in the So
ciety Islands, whittier he was sent
specially. He is now on his way home,
sailing for the mainland on July 4th,
and has visited Mauna Loa, kilauea
and Raleakala during a short stay at
these islands He was found at the
Royal Hawaiian Hotel last night, haV-
ing spent the greater part of the day
in climbing. photographing and study
ing Punchbowl and Diamond Head.
"Those cones should be kept. as near
ly as possible, in the condition that
they are now" he said.
Mr.. Curtis is the only scientist in
America today doing his peculiar line Of
voEll-that is, studying geology scien-
tifically from the scenic side, although
there are some eminent Europeans in
the same field And he has visited
many volcanoes.
without question" Mr.. Curtis said,
'the most unique scenery within the
Sandwich Island group lies in it's old
stated here that this type of scenery is
not confined to Hawaii. A large pro-
portion of the Pacific islands are of
volcanic origin, and represent some
stage of volcanic cones-earlier or
later. To merely see them, one gets
but little. But when the sight is d.
rected by intelligent observation based
on some general understanding of vol
canic history, the visit may be made of
real interest.
among the general types of VOL
canic craters might be mentioned the
fissure eruptive as Tarawara, in New
Zealand, and some Icelandic volcanoes,
and the welling caldera, like Kilauea.
The volcano must not be confused with
the crat ter. This is a very common
mistake. The crater is usually but a
small portion of the volcano. and rep
resents a rent through which material
from the interior is elected.
"Mauna Loa is a great volcanic cone,
in the world-or even in America.
Shasta and Rainier are volcanic cones,
each higher than Mauna Loa, and there
are some very active volcanoes in
Alaska, which are larger.
"Kilauea is a small volcanic cone,
with a comparatively sInall-sized cra-
ter. 1t is but a parasitic cone, on the
flanks of Mauna Loa. and 1 should say
that the lava comes from the same
source 1t lies in a large cadera, or
open pit. bat even this pit is far from
the largest in the world. 1t is very
common for large volcanic cones to
have these parasitic cones about their
bases.
'Mauna Loa is an e xcellent example
of the type it represents. Indeed it Is
classic example OF the basic, lava
dome volcano. Its h% %ight being great
while the slopes ar1' extremely gentle