The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1906-05-24

, crevices in the lava, from which issue
heat, smoke and sulphur fumes.
Should we be censured if to us came
the thought that surely this is
near that hell into which, in our
! boyhood days we were told, the wick
ed shall be cast forever? On the
other hand and just as near is vegita-
tion, green and grand. Forests of
ferns and various trees: eatable ber-
ries of various kinds: flowers. and
birds of gorgeous plumage, and not
far away are to be found banana,
coconut, breadfruit, mango, papia,
fig and other food bearing trees.
Could not one as easily imagine this
that the Garden of Eden, in which
tradition placed Adam and Eve, had
they been placed here Eve never
would have been tempted by the
serpent, for there are no serpents
here, there being no poisonous
snakes or vegetation on the islands.
We spent three days here visiting
the many places of interest. On Sat
urday morning, April It'll, we-a party
OF nine, including the guide-started
to visit the active crater Mounted
on ponies, we descended into the
large crater l mentioned before and
wendell our way for 81 miles across
the lava beds to the brim of the
crater of Kilerea, past many weird
and grotesque formations with hot
spots and smoke and fumes rising
round. Nearing the crater, we pro-
ceeded afoot to visit and peep into
some of the old blow holes and ex-
plore the several caves near by. The
first, ''The DEVILS Photograph Gal
lery, where everyone has three pic
lures taken. The next is Madam
Pele's Reception Room" into which
we descend by a ladder where we all
leave our cards, among piles of Others
The next "The DEVILS Reception
Room" round which the lava is red
hot for quite a distance and over
which one must keep moving to keep
your soles mot souls) from burning.
don't know how hot it was but out
side the cave it must have been 12O
degrees. |, being more adventure
some than the rest, entered about Il
feet from the mouth: it being so hot.
/ returned almost Immediately, per-
spring, streaming that's the
word, streaming---all over me. Then
to madam Pele's Kitchen" where
we all scorched post cards by holding
them about ten seconds over the
cracks in the lava, and where a pot
of coffee will boil in five minutes.
Last, to the edge of the smaller
crater, some 800 feet deep, with yet
another in the bottom of it, from
which poured volumes of smoke and
fumes Of sulphur, and occasionally,
When the smoke cleared away, you
could see the reflections of the fire
below.
All the time we were in this region
we could hear, far below, the roar of
the molten lava splashing against the
solid walls, sounding exactly like the
distant ocean beating on a rocky
shore. AS | sat for an hour on the
brink of this crater, listening to our
guide relate the traditions of this sec
ton and telling what Kilanea had
been before, occasionally casting a
small coin to the goddess to court hel
favor that she might display wee
bit of her former grandeur and senG
: up a small jet Of flame and lava
Little did l think at that exact
: time madam Pele' was working
, over time at Vesuvius and that PEG
!, pie were fleeing for their lives from
: her wrath. Had / known perhaps
: would not have sat so calmly there
:. but would have made haste from thi!
: grand but weird region.
) Returning to the hotel hot, tiree
:. and faces burned to blister, YET
:. more than pleased with our trip
:, Just word, before | proceed, as tt
= the traditions of madam Pele.'
;, madam Pele," the goddess of fire
! had a lover who was captured ant
: carried away by some of the othe
gods. Madam Pele came hither seek
ing her lover, bearing in her hand
great torch with which she touched
the mountain tops and they blazet
forth, Illuminating the surroundin.
= country so she could seek her lover
. Visiting all the islands in the group
she at last found her lover on tn
side of Mamma Loa, dead. She being
overcome by sorrow dropped her torcl
}" here where the fire has continued t
burn ever since, and here MADAM
It Pele" has resided, sending forth fir
1t and lava from this mountain as he