The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1913-12-26

volcano should exist in the side OF
larger one. but this is the case with
kilauea and Moana Loa. and the pe
culiarty Is accounted for by scientists
who claim that at one time there were
two distinct volcanoes or mountains
and that lava falling from them 30
nlled the intervening valley that they
eventually became one volcano. Al
any rate, Moana Loa Ia higher than
its sister. Kilauea, and the theory
seems plausible. Moana Loa which
Is often visited, possesses attractions
for expert mountain climbers, for the
trail Is hard one. When this high
volcano becomes active the effect is
stupendous. The two volcanoes are
remarkable living wonders, and Moana
Loa can proudly boast that it is the
second highest peak in the Pacific
Just as the natives have given a
name to the inner crater of Kilauea.
so they have dubbed the pit of Moana
Loa by the somewhat awe-inspiring
name OF Mokuaweoweo, a long name,
but it is jokingly said the craters
area OF 2,270 miles deserves It,
But the two VOLCANOES selected fol
the national monument are not by any
means the only ones on these islands
of curiosities. There is also the ex
tnct of Haleakala, said to be
the worf0B greatest extinct volcano
for the circumference OF its crater il
20 miles. A score OF cones rise from
this crater, and 1t Is cut by many lava
cracks. The view from its summit
is superb, for all the world seems
spread out before 1t. Then, there are
the famous Needles, tall rock lorna.
tons that stand like sentinels in
plain, and on the Island of Oahu, not
far from Honolulu. Is the famous Pail
OF Nuuanu, great cliff overlooking
the sea where engineers have built
a roadway in order that fine view
OF the windward side can be obtained
| Many travellers consider this the most
beautiful view of the Pacific Back
OF Honolulu Is also Mount Tantalus
with drive to its summit and all
around are mangos, citrus fruits
vines and every kind OF tropical
growth
Superstitious Hawailans.
1t is not surprising that the early
and uncultivated natives should at
| tribute supernatural powers to all
these phenomena and especially to the
VOLCANOES of Moana Loa and Kilauea.
They peopled them with gods and god.
| desses. and supreme among them was
| Pele, goddess of IRE, who dwelt in
| Halemaumau. The oldeet legend tells
how Pele and her train came to abide
in the fire palaces of the famous era
ter. Her enemy, Kama-puaa, the water
| god, half hog, half man. desired to
wed her, but as might be expected,
was not pleasing to the goddess, who
fed and took refuge IN Halemaumau
The water god followed, pouring
foods of water into the lake of fire.
! Pele's slaves turned the water into
steam and hurled stones upon the
monster until he took refuge In the
sea. Delighted to find such a retreat
Pele remained in the crater and sent
forth lightnings, earthquakes and vol
canic eruptions. and 80 In awe were
early HAwaiians that they tried in
every way to propitiate her. They
erected a sacred temple nearby for
her priests and constantly offered her
chickens, fish, fruit and dogs, inter-
spersed with occasional human vic
tins. Great pains were taken to pro-
pitiate her at the first sign of an erup-
ton and hogs were thrown into the
crater and the streams OF lava.
Many traveller who has stood on
the shores of Halemaumau and watch
ed the strange forms that seem to
leap up with wild shrieks and then
disappear has realized how easy it
might be to imagine this fiery vorte
was the abode of a goddess and her
satellites Especially as there are
certain formations around the crater
called by her name. 1t is a common
thing to hear islanders speak OF Pele's
hair, meaning the fine threads of lava,
looking much like spun glass, which
are found among the rocks and which
the birds use in building nests. When
the lava is thrown to a great height
the wind catches 1t as it drops and
spins it out into threads, olive, green
) or yellowish brown, and this is the
beautiful Pele's hair. so lovely that II
seems natural to associate it with q
} goddess.