The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-06-07
INSIDE A VOLCANO
Looking Down Into Kilauea's
Lake OF Boiling Lava.
LIKE A PIT OF LIQUID FIRE.

In the Darkness Of the Vast Crater
That 1t Terriiies the Speetator-A
veritabIe Fountain of Fire.
According to all the rules OF school
Biographies, volcano ought to lie
situated on top of mountain; it ought
to throw out stones and ashes and
molten lava; its crater should be in the
shape OF an inverted cone, and should
emit terrifying noises; periodically II
should overwheim village or two
kiiauea, on the island of Hawaii, con
forms to none of these specifications.
1t has thrown ont neither stones nor
ashes since it annihiuted the army that
WIS marching against Kamehameha,
almost hundred and fifty years ago
1t retains its lava within its own cra-
ter, which is not shaped like an in
verified cone. The sides are from 100
to 700 feet high and 7.S5 miles in cir
conference. and the floor covers 1850
acres. The volcano seldom makes ter
rifying noises--at least of the kind
heard in imagination by schooIboy
Thousands OF people descend into the
crater annually, and not one has ever
been injured
The walk across the floor of the era
ter, about two and one-half miles. is
over hard lava bed, more or less up
and down. since lava hardens quickly
and remains as it flowed, in great ropes
and ripples. \ few yards from shore
ono comes naturally to call the bank
shore a ragged crack is crossed by
IL wooden bridge. At the time this
crack opened, Il large party was in the
crater. They stayed long because they
were delighted with tile unusual ac-
tivlty of the lake and had no idea
that this activity extended beyond the
pit of fire until ut last they started TO
20 back to the hotel.
II WAS night. ana as they approached
the northern hank OF The crater their
lanterns suddenly revealed Il huge lis
sure directly across their pnth. 81
ready molten lava was buhbling up mt
HE bottom. They followed the edge
of the crack. keenly conscious. I'M
Cioubtediy, as they turned to keep
parallel with The crater wall. that they
were on the inner edge. At last they
found spnt where the lava had SPLIT
rmercnly. leaving n projecting ledge on
which II was possible to stand. ana 50
to jump tn the ether side. The whole
experience. with the thought OF sink
ing to the fires beneath or of being
rwhelined by the lava slowly rising
In the ilsSure and the utter helpless
ness of their situation. was enough To
test the most fearless.
Kiauea Is really an enormous quiz
escent crater with an active inner pit
This cavity is. perhaps, LOCO feet
across. and its precipitous sides lead
down to a lake OF molten Lava several
acres in extent, sometimes higher,
sometimes lower in the pit. This IS
lialemnumau. which is commonly
translated although incorrectly. the
house of everlasting IRE" II is GER
tainly the house Of The goddess Pele
BY daylight tile lake Of fire is
greenish yellow. cut with ragged
cracks of red that look like pale streaks
OF stationary lightning across its sur
face. 1t is restless. breathing rapidly,
buhbling up at one point and sinking
down at another; throwing up sudden
fountains of scarlet molten lava that
play Il few minutes and snbside, leay-
ing shimmering mounds TINT gradually
settle 70 the level surface of the lake.
turning brown and yellow ms they sink.
As darkness comes. the colors on the
lake grow so intense that they almost
hurt the eyes The fire is not oAly red:
1t is blue and purple and orange and
green. Blue flames simmer and dart
about the edges of the rit. back and
forth across he surface of the restless
mass Sudden fountains paint blood
red the great plume of sulphur Smoke
that rises constantly.
Sometimes the spurts of lava are so
violent. SO exaggerated ny the night.
that one draws back terrified lest some
atom of their molten substance should
spatter over the edge of the precipice.
Sometimes the whole lake Is in motion.
Waves of fire toss and battle with each
other and dash in clouds of bright YER
million spray against the black sides OF
the pit. Sometimes one of these sides
falls in with roar that echoes back
and forth, and mighty rocks are swat
lowed in the liquid mass Of fire that
closes over them in whirlpool, like
water over sinking ship.
Again everything is quiet; Il thick
scum forms over the surface of the
lake, dead. like the scum on the surface
of lonely forest pool Then it shiv-
ers. Flashes of fire dart from side to
side. The center bursts open, and n
huge fountain of lava twenty feet
thick and fifty feet high streams into
the mir and plays for several minutes,
waves of binding fire flowing out
from it, dashing against the sides until
the black rocks are starred all over
With bits OF scarlet All sensations
are submerged in Il sense Of awe. This
vision of the earth building forces at
work is picture so overpowering that
It is burned into the memory for all
lime. Hawaii, Past and Present"
Only a Near Bed.
Little Lola Din berth of the sleeping
carr Mamma, | want TO go to bed.
Mnmma-W Why. Won are In bed dear