The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-12-10


hardly be taken by surprise by an in
vasion of the molten rock.
Records are extant Of more than a
score of eruptions upon Mauna Loa
in the nineteenth century. The lava
flows came from various points near
the summit, and some of them lasted
many months. One in 1887 and another
in 1899 made magnificent displays,
which were easily and safely Access
sible to view at short range, and drew
large numbers of spectators from all
over the islands. On such occasions
steamboat excursions to the nearest
landing are always hastily organized,
so that the scene may be witnessed be-
fore it becomes played out.
NOTEWORTHY FLOWS OF LAVA.
The flow of 1887 continued for more
than fortnight, down the slopes, thir-
~ miles, to the sea. In places the
fiery stream spread out to a miles
width, and, passing over abrupt de-
cIivities, formed cascades of flaming
debris. Fire fountains played all along
the moving mass. This eruption, with
in the seventeen days that the flow
lasted, was signalized by nearly 400
earthquake shocks, none of which did
heavy damage.
The flow of 1899 started, by a peculiar
coincidence, on the second Fourth OF
July after the annexation of Hawaii,
and continued for three weeks. Those
fortunate enough to get within near
view of the diversified manifestations,
which involved some arduous mountain
climbing, were fully rewarded. The
eruption, according to guesses made by
observers, appears to have started
within 5000 feet from the summit, but
eruptive cones of great size developed
at various distances farther down for
two or three miles. Some of these were
mighty fountains, throwing not only
fused material, but huge boulders, to
a height of fifty feet. At the highest
vent the eruption formed a crater,
which assumed the form of a mound
$50 feet high, over the rim Of which
four streams of lava poured TO merge
at the base. A curious development
in a lava flow is that as it takes its
way it forms a tunnel of congeallng
crust through which the purely fluid
matter runs for a long distance con-
ceaIed. Here and there along the route
the accumulated gases produce minor
eruptions, causing fire fountains. In
the aforementioned flow there would be
visible at once from a single point OF
view several of these eruption cones,
ranging from 100 to 800 feet in height.
THE HOUSE OF FIRE"
Kilauea forms cavity in the noun
tainside with walls on three sides from
300 to 400 feet high. Its area is about
four square miles; circumference, 41,50o
feet, or 7S5 miles; extreme length,
$500 feet, or 293 miles; extreme width,
TO- 800 feet, or 1876 miles. The principal
focus of activity is near the middle
of the main crater-or what capt. Out
ton, who wrote scientific report on
Hawaiian volcanoes for the United
States Government in 1884, convenient
~ called the ''caldera" to distinguish
it from the eruptive vents within It's
con1ipes. "Halemaumau," meaning the
house of, fire, is the name given 10 the
principal cone, whose interior in PERIODS
OF high activity constitutes a lake OF
molten lava. Smaller lakes that were
create! By eruptions many years ago
ultimately became merged into TINS
one Balenlaumau is irregular or out
line ard roughly estimated as Delng
15ox2n0 yards in mouth dimensions ana
tapers down to depth OF 400 or oVU
feet. Just outside of it spouting cones
have appeared. These are or fantastlc
share.
In the irter1 ais between the more
violent periods of Kilauea, lasting
sometimes for years, intense neat Is
retained in all of the lava vents as
well as throughout miles or nssuFes'
| extending in various directions upon
the floor of the caldera. Any imam
Unable material exposed to these open
/ ings takes only a few moments 10 pe-
come scorched or ignited. ODD forfna-
lions of lava are found ALL over the
floor, including the caves and bridges
within or under which the spaces are
| large enough to shelter a crowd. one
| particular cavern is vault-snapeo
/ place entered through a hole broken
| in it's roof 1t is ten feet deep ana
about fifteen feet each way laterally,
and its temperature is usually so hlsH
that few can remain inside it more than
few minutes.
In its most uuiescent periods Kilauea
never ceases TO emit Vapors, some
times dense and smoky, again thin and
white. When, therefore, it is said to
be inactive, it is so only in compare
|
! clouds of steam are emitted from the
| environing cliffs as well as from appar'
emily bottomless pits and gullies in the
grounds adjacent to the hotel. Near
the public road and few yards from
the Volcano House, there are extensive
sulphur and red ochre beds, always
hot and smoking, constantly receiving
accretfons from subterFanean fires.
Mokuaweoweo, the crater on the very
summit of Mauna Loa, is less frequent
ily active than Kilauea. Its periods o
activity are also shorter. In fact, the!
are usually so brief that few persons
have ever been able to make the as
cent in time to see the eruption. Their
was some slight activity reported il
, Mokuaweoweo at the time of the lS9
lava flow The last previous eruption
, was in 1886, when the spectacle wa
: enjoyed by two expeditions One o
these was composed of Professo
Friedlander of Germany and his guide
, and attendants. The other was larg
, party of tourists, who spent day an
night in the ascent and camped upo
ffhe margin of the crater the following