The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-04-20
LIFE ON CRATER'S
BRINK
The Study OF Kilauea
Experience of F. A. Perret

The volcano, which has throughout
many years been considered as un-
answerable an enigma as any of the
! demonstrations of Nature can be in
these times of scientific research, is
/ fast giving up its secrets and one of
! the men to whom credit is chiefly due
! for finding out the truth in this re-
spect is Frank A. Perret, representa-
Tive of the Springfield society of vol
canic research and volcanologist
whose name is well known throughout
| all circles of scientific research today
| Mr. Perret has made an especial ex-
animation and study of conditions
which prevail at Mt. Kilauea in the
Hawaiian islands, which may be con-
sidered as being as truly a representa-
tive active volcano as there is, and
his discoveries, apart from being of
great value in scientific circles, have
great fascination for the layman,
whose interest in this phenomenon
of Nature is confined to the specta-
cular Clements.
Mt Kilauea is what is known as an
active volcano. that is to say, one
which he's been in eruption in recent
years and one which shows no signs
of being extinct or even dormant at
present. 1t is situated in Hawaii on
the eastern slope of Mauna Loa, and
has an oval crater nine miles in cir
conference with a lake of red and
boiling lava at the bottom over 1000
feet below the mouth of the crater.
The volcano is ten miles from the
sea and thirty miles from the city of
Hilo the nearest place of any size
from which expeditions are sent, and
rises 1000 feet above the level of the
sea The crater is three miles long
by two miles wide and is some 5000
feet in depth, this being by no means
an exceptional size. At the South
western end of the crater is the lake
oe boiling lava called Halemaumau, or
the house of everlasting fire" Great
eruptions have occurred at Kilauea in
1889, 1928, 1882, 1910, and 1868, al
though the crater is in a constant
state Of activity.
Kilauea Yves first brought to the
intimate notice of Springfield people
cavoro1 rraa1yc oUO uyhon q nOl1aptiOD
of lava formations arrived from Mr..
Ferret and werep laced on exhibition
in the Science museum, where they
attracted a large number of visitors.
Here were seen specimens of "Pele's
hair" crystals of Divine, tree molds,
volcanic bombs, lava sponge, stalac-
tites and stalagmites. While thes% are
objects of great interest to the OBJ
server and have considerable scienti-
fc value they can only be said to
present superficial view of the ex-
tent of Mr.. Perret's work at Kilauea
and are far more showing the true and
far-reaching scope of his activities.
The interest of the English-speaking
population of Hawaii in the subject
! of volcanoes has increased vastly
since Mr.. Perret first began to study
| the great mountain at their very door,
and the weekly letters and numerous
wireless dispatches which have APP
peared frequently from him in the
Pacific Commercial Advertiser of Ho
nolulu have done much to arouse in
terest.
Niagaras of Molten Lava.
Halemaumau, the lake of boiling
lava in the crater Of Kilauea, is a
phenomenon which never ceases tC
fail in its spectacular elements. II
the early part of July a phenomenon
was seen by Prof. Perret in the pit
which has probably never before beer
witnessed by man. For days the pi
had been far more active than usual
and this activity eliminated on Jul!
10, when the molten lavas took on the
semblance of whirlpool until the re
volving center of the disturbance wal
sucked down, leaving a hole in thu
bottom directly under the arch juno
ton of two floating islands Into thi
from both sides the lava poured like
two Niagaras of living fire, with
roar that could be heard miles away
Coincident with the disturbance il
the pit there was felt in all section
Of Hawaii an earthquake the effect
of which were particularly noticeabl
at Waikiki. The causes of such dis
turbances are always more or less o
mystery, but Prof. Perret advanced
the most likely theory concerning il
this being that the mselstrom /
caused by the higher subfluids bein
forced down by the heavier surfac
lavas, forming the viscous crust, tn
result being that two levels have form
ed in the pit A constant flow of Law
from the surface into the incandescen
icVlinder of cleaning lava was ObseTN