The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-09-07
Observations on the :
MokuaWeoWeo Crater
GIauna Loa)
During Soiourn on the Summit From August
S-l3, 1897.

By H. B. Guppy
". B, Salcombe, Devon, England.

Continued from yesterday
We pass readily from our considera-
ton Of the lesser Independent pit
craters 10 the discussion Of that Of
South Mokua weoweo which represents
a large pit-crater II the early stage
Of its absorption into the general
cavity The view here advanced
Is that the great basin was in the first
place produced by the coalescence of
z lire OF large pit-cra1e-s and that this
process IS illustrated IN the present
condition OF South MokUa weowe0. Sym
metricaI IN form, South Mokuaweoweo
now communicates by a narrow strait
with the main basin II figures in all
the plans and represents the last of
lime Of large pit-craters that have
given place during the course Of ages
in the manner below described 70 the
existing huge basin. Il is not only the
most interesting locality on the sum-
nit OF Mauna Loa. but il IS probably
the most ancient. It's diameter as de-
termiHed BY Professor Alexander in
1885 is $500 feet my rough measure
n7ent making close approximation 10
this result. L appeared TO be slightly
deeper than tbs great basin by some
fifty or a hundred feet which would
make its depth between 500 and 800
feet an estimate that at all events
sufficiently approximates Professor
AIexander's estimate of 500 feet.
South Bank. representing a rise
Of apparently some 300 feet. in
venes between South 3okuaweoweo
and the central part Of the great
basin. Although IN 1897 the sur
face in the vicinity Of this pft-crater
was extremely affected by vapors that
were discharged from the assures at
high temperature and were visible in
ali weathers, the interior Of the cavity
displayed but little evidence of their
action. South Nokuaweoweo indeed
vas a dead vent. and only acquired its
sem blauce Of slunsbering from the re-
crudescence Of volcanic heat in the
area south and west Of it. The remark
made by the Rev. 2. P. Baker after his
visit in 1898 that South aTokuaweoweo
looks the same as il did five. seven or
ten years ago would be probably true
OF lis condition for far longer period.
The popularity Of the pIt-crater is
that II has been produced without
cone. It does not even give a charac-
ter TO Landscape. since its presence is
not disclosed until one stands on its
brink AS il does not lie in the midst
OF materials elected by it. one cannot
credit il with any constructive action.
and one may regard il as belonging 10
the stage when the volcanic mountain
ne longer adds 10 its height by the
discharge Of Iavas from the summit.
Il would seem that small pit-craters
may be formed in the floor of the main
basin during an eruption and that they
are subsequently obliterated. the effect,
I infer OF z later rscrudescence of
activity resulting in the reliquefying
OF the Iava-8oor- Thus in an account
OF an ascent made on June 24th. 1893.
which is given in the Pacific CONNER
cjaI Advertiser, the Rev. z. P. Baker
refers to the ppearance of small
crater. measuring 200 feet in diameter
and 200 feet IN depth, which was form
ed in the floor Of the main basin in
June 1887. seemingly during the erup-
ton of that date. He descended 10 il
again IN 1855 and in 1889 the Messrs.
Monsarrat visited It But in 1898 II
had been obIiterated, Its vacant space
being now occupied by solid lava which
is continuous with the general floor Of
Mokua weoweo.
THE PROCESS OF LATERAL EN-
LARGEMENT NOW TO BE OBSERV-'
ED IN THE GREAT BASIN OF MO
KUAWEOWEO.-In the case Of one
of the smaller pit-craters before de-
scrfbed deep assures sometimes Civ
ing vent TO hot yapors are TO be MOTTO
ed in the immediate vicinity Of the pit
running parallel with its borders. From
time 10 time portions Of the sides fail