The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-01-21
DESCRIPTION OF FLOW
JULY SEVEN YEARS AGO
CBy Joseph c. Pratt, in the Hawail
Herald, July 30, 1899

We left Volcano House, Kilausa,
o'clock on Monday morning, July TO-
Oh. horseback, some fourteen strong
together with a number of others trav-
cling in smaller companies and some
in pairs SO that when at o'clock we
arrived at Ollie Shipman's ranch,
count of noses would have revealed
upwards of thirty, all argonauts seek
ing the same destination. Under the
guidance of Mr.. E. d. Baldwin we trav-
veled west by north several hours, ar
irving at the water tanks and cow
pens belonging to w. II. Shipman,
eight miles from Volcano House,
where we filled our canteens. had bite
of luncheon, gave our horses water,
and after a half hours rest continued
our journey, arriving at the Bark
House cattle pens at o'clock p. m,
seventeen miles from Volcano House,
where we remained for the night.
At this place we were Joined by Mr..
Shipman whose men were then engaged
in rounding up cattle preparatory to
getting them out of the country. We
had hoped to have gotten from the Ha-
waian cowboys some definite inform
alton as to the location of the outbreak
as well as the best route to take to
reach it, but in this we were disap-
pointed as none had preceded us or
knew any more than we. After hold
ing a powwow it was determined that
rather than attempt to go directly to
the top from this place by following
the kipuka Gland oasis in sea OF Laval
in which we were then camped, as it
had been represented we could do, we
would wait until morning and then,
crossing the IA and pahoehoe flows
Of 1855, go to the edge of the 1881 flow
at point where water could be had as
well as grass for horses. Early in the
morning it was discovered that our
cook had deserted us, and Captain
Jack Wilson Immediately deputized
Colonel J. U. Smith as such and he in
turn found subordinates in sufficient
number to produce fair spread OF
boeuf and gravy and bread and coffee.
After breakfast, when Professor Nc
Clusky had washed the dishes and Joe
Flores, our to be guide from this on,
had gotten our pack horse packed, we
struck up through the grove of koa
timber skirting the 1881 flow, our OBJ
jective point being a small kipuka
scme thee or four miles distant, to
reach which obliged US to travel
through very rough country and out
upon the 81 flow. AT II o'clock noon
of Tuesday we had reached the upper
limit of travel by horses and hurried
ly divesting ourselves of all unneces-
sary accoutrements and investing our
selves with full canteens of water and
plerty CT provisions, each man taking
his own allowance of canned corn beef,
hard tack and baked beans, we struck
out on foot toward the summit of Ma
una Loa, where now for the first time
we could get an uninterrupted view,
as for forests, of the burning noun
tain peak. The sight as well as the
supposed nearness of this fascinating
thing stin uIated most of the party to
degree that caused them to expend
in the early hours of our tramp the
energy as we'll as the water and shoe
leather so absolutely necessary to en-
able them to receive the good ma
DANES benediction at the summit.
say that if those seeking to gain the
profit by the experience of others they
will go well shod, as for shoes, as well
as provided with at least two gallons
of water to the individual. AS for
focJ, it seems strange to relate but
fact is not one of all those who travel
ed even as far as the first general
or afT1rr r01a hn low of fay
we left our hourse, had even a normal
I question whether any of the party
was at any time hungry This is quite
the contrary to all our former noun
tain climbing experiences. However,
it demonstrates that volcano hunters
on Mauna Loa can dispense with
canned pork sausages, boned turkey,
chicken and corned beef; plenty of
water, hard biscuits, sweet crackers
raisins and tablets of meat extract,
which can be readily prepared into a
tea drink, is all that is required in
shape of food supply.
The party, upward of thirty strong,
were in fine fettle as we launched our
pahoehoe, of the 1881 flow, and with
by day and the pillar of fire later or
pressed on up the slope, each bearing
his burden graciously. hopefully, on his
back. 1t was now past 8 o'clock p. m.
Tuesday, July IL, when Mr.. H. S. Pratt
accompanied by his wife, Messrs
Henry Easton, Moraigny, Janeway,
G. Pratt. Reorganization Grace, W
H. Shipman, E. D. Baldwin, L. Turner
ct al, arrived at what may be said tt
be the first prominent mound or hill
between this point and our starting
place of foot travel. Then it was dis
covered that the fire mountains posi-
ton was bit Elusive, and instead O
being able to see the demons skating
on the surface of the lava poo
OF the crater, we were seemingly quit,
as far away as at the beginning o
our tramp. and this fact coupled witt
foot and leg WEAKNESS as well as lacl
of sufficient water and to several al
attack Of mountain sickness, the ele
walton at this point being approx
mately 1900 feet, caused quite a numbe
| to hesitate and then, turning back re
| trace their steps to the kipuka wher
our horses were supposedly tied III