The Hawaiian gazette., 1908-08-21
By Charles L. Rhodes.

pressiveness of the tremendous activi.
ties presented, are not blurred or MINI
mized by the lack of perspective. 1t Is
near enough so that the actual flow
and play of the lava can be seen clear
ly, and its spread from the center "a
eruption to the very walls of the pit
can be followed.
Whether considered as a spectacle or
as n study in volcanic action, it is fas.
cinating. No one who can by any pos
sibility make opportunity to see it,
ought to fail to visit it. l have yet
to find anyone who has seen it who
would part with the experience and the
recollection.
The best time to visit the pit is at
night. The acres of fire with its fOun.
tains of molten lava light up the grear
pit, and the glow of the white hot
liquid, contrasting with the darkness,
produces an effect that is awe-inspiring.
But it must be seen by daylight, as
well, if one would understand the rela.
ton of the flows and counterhows, the
swish, and ebullition, and the great
geysers of fire which are elements of
the night spectacle. Not that daylight
makes it plain; for it is essentially a
mystery. But it makes plain some of the
movements. which at night are merely
Titanic pyrotechnics.
At the risk of being tedious let ma
describe as best | can, the setting, as
it were, of the spectacle. The great
crater of Kilauea is irregularly circular
in form something like three miles in
| its longest diameter Its walls rise ap-
proximately a thousand feet. The floor
of this crater is great black area ris.
ing gradually from the wall on all sides
toward the center, where it is highest
1t is not quite the center either but
toward the southeasterly portion of the
area where it is highest, perhaps two
hundred feet higher than at the edges.
And it is right in this highest spot
where Halemaumau, great bit. drops,
to depth before the present activity
began a couple of years ago, of thou
sand feet. Halemaumau, this great pit,
is also irregularly circular, miniature
of the greater crater. Its diameter "a
variously given by visitors who have
an eve for distance, at from 1900 feet
to 1900 feet The walls rise almost YER
teal, in fact, in places overhang, eS'
cept at the northeast side where the
wall is somewhat broken down as
. though it had been undetermined at
that spot.
The activity is in this pit. In the
months since the present activity be-
!, gan this immense abyss 1900 feet in
: diameter (if that is the measurement
. and it is probably not far from it)
' has filled up with molten lava from q
> depth of a thousand feet until now it
is within $50 feet, or such a matter
of the top. Think what a tremendous
: column of liquid matter! Think of the
!, tremendous pressure from beneath that
must exist to support it! Think OF
the enormous lateral pressure it must
: exertl That the whole column is liquid
there is every reason to suppose. In
g deed, it is probable that the column
= is cone shaped, broadcast at the bottom
and thus in a sense undermining tho
= whole wall of the pit, as the wall exists
! at the top.
u But while the whole column of mat
- ter is probably liquid. the fresh supply
y of molten lava that is constantly being
, forced to the top does not come NJ
from the depths in all parts of the pit
The fountain of supply is relativel!
a constant in small area near thu
y north side of the pit. SO constantly
. is the molten lava rising here, and il
. such grandeur of geyser, that the ebul
. lition at this point has been named
a "Old Faithful.
9 1t is probable that all of the con
: stantly rising supply of molten lava
does not rise at this point, for othel
geysers similar in action to "OlC
). Faithful" are seen at times. But il
seems extremely probable that it al
. comes up within a comparatively lin
. tied area. Within this area it comes
a up in such large quantities and 81
!, rapidly that the surface of the pi
= here, in extent about third of thu
/, area of the whole pit, is never who'll.
- - blackened over. In fact, the blacken
- ed spots are constantly changing, beinl
a broken up and remelted into fiery gloy
by the movement of the lava. For /
y =, must be remembered that molten Law
"a cools, blaclSens and hardens very rap
- idly. The drop of very few degree
in temperature on the surface form
: black crust like coating of ice
This lake of hottest lava still retain
much of the figure eight conformation
described by Mr.. Thurston some week
ago, although not so sharply accentu
ated he says, as it was then.
Flowing lava always builds up wall
for itself. As it spreads, the QUITE
4 portions cool and harden. So this lax
|
around itself. You can't recognize i
at night, but it is plain enough IL
the daytime. On last Thursday thi
wall was probably fifteen feet, at least
q above the general level of the surfac
, of the Immediately surrounding lava
/ This lake of hottest lava might be rep
$. resented in an inverted saucer. TIL
80 center is fluid and moving; at the side
il il hard and harrier-lik
This process of building up a wal
for itself goes on until the lava pile
or up so high inside of it that the latera
u, pressure breaks through the wall a
"a some place, and then there is a strear
- of lava flowing out and spreading owe
the larger area of the pit, the area tina
t. is usually dark. Thus, though tn
A. molten lava is constantly gushing u
:. from the interior Of the earth as thong
20 some Titanic hand were slowly CON
~ pressing the shell of the earth, forcin
+. the molten interior out, as water froI
| Al rs los