The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-09-06
Observations on the
MOkuaWeoWeo Crater
(Aauna
During Soiourn on the Summit From August
S-l3, 1897.
By H. B. Guppy, NJ B. salcornbe. Devon, England

| al its southern extremity III these
lesser pit-craters represent In their de-
veiopment the formation OF South Mo-
l kuaweoweo, then 1t is probable that
+ they viii afford a clue 10 the origin
Of the large irregular hollow forming
the great basin itself. since. as Is point
ed out below, IL is TO be assumed that
South Mokuaweoweo displays the earIi-
est stage in the development OF this
huge crateraI depression
These lesser pii-craters are deep cir
GUAR cavities with vertical sides. the
diameter ranging from ZOO or 500 10 100
/ or 1909 feet, and the depth from $50 10
500 feet. Not having raised margins,
/ they are very liable 10 escape tie no
( tice Of the observer, and unless they
+ happen 10 lie in his track they would
most probably be overlooked. II would
be for this reason unwise 10 lay any
stress on the absence OF one Of more OF
these piI-craters from the earlier plans.
From the accidental fashion in which
I stumbled on them il il very likely
that others exist besides the three
marked in the plan. The inference
drawn By Dana that the crater-pit
marked A in my plan was formed be-
tween 1874 and 1855 because il is not
found IN Lydgate's plan or 1874 and IS
is very hazardous one. AS a matter
OF fact, this pit-crazer was observed by
Captain Dutton in or about 1852, as re-
marked below But the uncertainty Of
negative evidence in the matter Of these
pit-craters is shown ia the cfrcum-
stance That in my plan Or 1897 there
are two pit-craters, 3 and c. represent
ed on the south side of the summit
one OF which is indicated In wilkes
plan of 1870, both, however being un-
represented in The plans Of Lydgate
lIST4) and Alexander (1SS5) as given IN
buttons paper and In Dana's "Charac-
teristics of Volcanoes" There is a good
reason for believing that all these pit
craters existed IN the time OF Wilkes
/" A few notes relating TO them
viii now be given
The northernmost at the time OF my
visit in 1897. displayed some signs OF
vapor issuing at the bottom. Its diam
eter / estimated at $50 TO 800 feet. and
its depth at 40o feet. stone taking
five seconds to reach the floor. Pro-
lessor Alexander gives ii somewhat
similar dimensions when he speaks OF
il in 1885 as apparently 500 feet deep
and 1000 feet wide. This pit-crater was
noticed IN 1882 by Captain DuttoTl, who
descended into the great basin, on this
side. Il may be the Pit-crater marked
in the plan Of Commodore wilkes ia the
extreme northwest, his plan being in
complete on the north side OF the
summit.
The rit-crater marked 2 In my plan
IS evidently the one indicated In the
same situation IN wilkes plan OF $50.
but neither this nor the pit-crater c 10
the south OF - Is 70 be found in Lyd-
gates plan Of 1874 or IN Alexander's
survey Of 1855 II is quite possible. as
have above remarked, TO traverse
this district without becoming aware or
their vicinity; ard the absence OF one
CT both of them from the earlier plans
IS rather 70 be attributed TO nor-oc-
aervatior than 70 their nen-existence-
The diameter Of pit-crater = ] is esd
mated ar soc TO 1900 feet, and the depth
az about I50 feet. stone occupying
three seconds in reaching the bottom.
Only a small amount Of vapor was TO
be noticed issuing from assure in its
floor. Pit-crafer G, which lies about
$50 yards further south, IS very similar
in character. but il is smaller and
deeper II is the only one Of the three
pit-craters observed by NE that ,is not
indicated In one or other Of the earlier
plans but. as above remarked. il Is noI
70 be inferred that il did not then
exist It's diameter was placed by me
at between 900 and 200 feet. and its
depth at about go feet, four seconds
being occupied ia the fall Of stone
A large amount OF white yapor was
issuing from Assures at and near the
margin OF the pit In cloudy. damp
weather the steam discharged from THIS
locality forms a conspicuous object On
EEa-
suing from the interior OF the pit, ana
that mostly from its sides.
Although these pft-craters are not
er1aptive either in their development
or in their present condition. since we
do not and elected materials heaped
M 70 any extent at their borders.
small cone crater is exhibited in Po-
taku F5anaIei q remarkable hill lying
In The southwest Of the two southern
crafer-uit-craters Il Is a conspicuous
obtec. rising abruptly from the even
mountain slope and resembling
church with . sp3re- Its height how
ever Is only between 80 and go feet
II is formed partly Of lava elected IN
The. molten state and partly OF loose
hlorls and smaller material. ali elected
4rn-7 A central crater. the bottom Of
which is concealed By debris saw
no vapors issuing from IL and from its
general condition It might have been
thrown ID ages since OF similar origin
{s 2 nfI.ock some 40 or 80 feet hign
which lies close 10 pjt-crat@r G cornpos-
- az sand lariIT and larger materials
and displays q crater-ilks noiAoW q
re Ton. : may remark that al around
he summit but especially On the south
side one meets with basic pUntce0us
sand and IapiIi srTewn over the surface
n nfaces bur rarely Of any depth
-T--s-z= materials. however have con-
t-f5ute5 but little 10 The building up
Of this huge mountain i - not 70
ne core-c-ater but 20 the pit-cTaIer
hat we must LOOK for cur clue w-len
ne rero-ees from the particular 70 the
General in endeawertng 70 explain the
origin of the great basin q Aokua-
weoweo.