The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-01-19
AN OUTBREAK.


AN OUTBREAK.
When a column of lava is lifted fol
an eruption in Mokuaweoweo, on Maui
ma Loa. the pressure is sometimes sc
great that the sides of the mountain
new outlet lower down the eruption
in the crater ceases. Sn when there Is
an outbreak from the side of the noun
tain, Mokuaweoweo is usually active
first
Usually long rent or crack is made
in the mountain side extending in a
line from the summit downwards.
From some parts of this crack the lava
rushes in a great fountain hundreds
of feet high.
AS the particles of lava cool in fall
ing cone or crater is soon built,
within which the fountain plays at a
fearful rate in a lake of fire. From a
gap In the side of the cone pours the
stream Of lava from 80 to 60 feet wide.
Later on, as the walls increase in
height. the lava may force its way out
beneath the cone, or it may break out
in a new spot lower down in the
crack
The crack from which the 1859 flow
came was at least four miles in
length; that of the 1899 flow about two
and one-half or three miles: the 1901
flow three-fourths of a mile; that of
the 1868 flow being also three-fourths
of mile in length. The crack of the
1863 flow is very well marked, extend
ing down through the woods and end
ing on a hillside The lava poured
from the lower end of this crack on
to the lower land below, thus forming
no cone. There is no sign that the
lava flowed from the upper part of
this rent, but that it merely oozed
up At the very head of the crack
there is but little lava to be seen on
the surface, but by scraping away the
soil the ground is found to be filed
with fragments.
LAVA TUNNELS.
Lava hardens rapidly when exposed
to the air; SO crust soon forms over
the surface of flow, beneath which
the lava goes on flowing. After a time
1t will melt down deep in. the rock
Glow, forming a regular tunnel. 1t
is from this central channel (of which
there may be more than one) that the
lava flow works ahead, to either side,
and by overfiows buries itself yet more
deeply. Through openings in the crust
one may look down upon the molten
stream of lava below, or after the flow
has ceased one may scramble down
through these openings into the tunnel
and explore it. The Kaumana caves
near Hilo are different sections of the
sam me lava tunnel--that of the 1881 flow.
They are well worth visit.
THE 1868 ERUPTION.
The outbreaks from the side of Maui |
IA Loa have usually taken place very |
quietly. The first sign that there was
such an outbreak has been a bright /
light far up on the mountain above /
he forest line. But this was not the |
;ase with the 1868 eruption. For two
weeks before this occurred the whole of
zau was rocked and shaken by most
earful earthquakes. These earth
Iuakes We're to be counted by the thou
ands. The ground was almost con-
family quaking, and at the same time
here was a rumbling sound deep down
n the earth.
Finally there was great shake
Which threw men and animals from
heir feet. At the same time thou
ands of tons of earth and boulders
fere torn from the cliff and hurled
own into the Waiohinu Valley; above
this same thing took place
) a water-soaked pail, making the
reat mud flow; and a long crack open
!. extending from the crater of XII
.uea to a point near the sea between
unaIuu and Keauhou. This rent Is
ow called the 1868 crack. 1t is a bot
unless crack, being but short dis
lnce from, and running parallel with,
,e road from Pahala to the Volcano
ouse. All of the fire disappeared in
iiauea at the time this crack opened.
hortly after the great shake a tidal ,
ave came in upon the land, sweeping
way the village of Honuapo. Forty !
aople lost their lives in the tidal wave
Honuapo alone !
A. few days after the great shake the !
va burst its way through the side !
. the mountain not far above Ka- !
aku A long rent was made in the !
fountain. from the lower end Of which !
le Lava poured in an overwhelming
pod, reaching the sea in two or three ,
ours. The 1868 crack ended in hill ;
de; as the lava spouted from this ,
rot, falling upon the low land below, !
must have presented magnificent {
,ectacIe. All the hillside above the /,
-eak is deeply covered with fragments ]
. pumice. The 1868 flow ran pahoe- i!
De first, but soon changed to typical {
l. Though it has been cold and J
ard for 80 years. yet the lava of this :
ow has all the appearance of having .
owed with fearful velocity in its up
n part. This eruption lasted but four !
ays-Chas w. Baldwin, in Hawaifs
Dung People.