Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-10-07
SEEING a VOLCANO IN ACTION
CONTINUED from page one.)
laya lake whIeh forma ID door.


lava lake which forms its floor.
To reach Halemaumau, as the ac-
tive crater 10 know In Hawaiian. one
must 90 down into the main crater
BY . narrow horse trail cut in the
elf near whore the hotel stands. and
after reaching the lava floor travel
for three miles or more across a
great black lava field. which forms
q NOSE fantastic piece OF scenery and
reminds one Of pictures no has seen
Of the surface Of the moon. To all
appearances the hardened lava over
which one walks or rides might have
been poured out yesterday. but this
part Of the pit has not been in ac-
tiyity within historic timos. Every
curve and wave OF the lava which
Il had when In a molten state, Is
preserved, and one passes cascades,
and pyramids. and streams OF lava on
which he 10 almost afraid TO trust
himself. 30 strongly DO they resemble
q plastic flowing mass. But they
are OIL frozen into glass like hard.
meas. and the brittle broken pieces
crunch under the foot like dry snow
OF lee crystals, The contraction OF
the lava In cooling produced great
cracks running IN every direction,
like those seen IN dried mud deposits
on a river bank. only on a gigantic
scale. Some OF these cracks still
give on much heat and over these
tourists arc wont TO scortch cards as
SOUVENIRS. or cook meals Of ham and
egaa and coffee.
hut Halemaumau Is tho great at
traction, and everything else pales
into lnalgnitchnee beside II when IL
d active, During the past six months
the hrea are said to have been un-
usually active and the lava rose TO
within go feet OF the top. forming a
lake estimated AZ II acres in extent,
When saw II the lake had dropped
back probably 500 feet. but can
not imagine any more wonderful dis
play under any other condition. The
pit had begun TO an when / first
viewed Il, aud sometimes as many as
a dozen FIRE fountains would be
playing At one time from various
parts OF the surface Of the lake. Then
an accumulation Of gases would sud
denly explode beneath the surface,
and the whole lake would be thrown
Into violent commotloR. like some
huge eaaidFon boiling furiously.
The appearance Ia constantly
changing, The surface coola within
. few minutes after II comes Ia con
tact with the air. aud forms dark |
brown crust over the molten surface
This ID constantly breaking and be-
inG traveraed By brilliant white
cracks. forming patterns OF fasclnat.
ing and inflnIte variety. Al night the |
display battles ali attempts TO des-
crthe. and visitors simply stand IN
awe-struck fascination while trO-
mendous. forces. beyond the power
Of human mind 10 comprehend. work !
INCREASINGLY.
kileaua Is the only volcano In the
world which may BE- watched IN safe
y AZ close range. and the wonderful
chemistry Of nature studied. Dur
lns the past few months Il has been
visited By hundreds OF persons. tour.
lssa and residents OF the Islands alike.
u has a fascination witch one finds
diiaoult TO overcome. and when you
leave you Immediately want to 90
hack again.
Hawaii's other active volcano. Ma
ana Loa, Is Of the conventional Kind.
u b a peak nearly $4,000 feet IN
halght. aud Il uncertain in is ae-
lion. Il has been quiescent since
aarly IN the year 1907. when an erup-
lion broke out on It's southern slope
md continued an active Gov OF lava