The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-02-19

~ who remain any length Of time
in the islands. Owing to the
fact that some of these volcanoes are
by no means extinct, the ascent is
often exciting and sometimes rather
dangerous.
Very recently Mauna Loa was as
cended by DR.. A. S. Baker Of Keala-
kekau and Rev A. C. Bowdish of Paia
In spite of the light and smoke which
proclaimed the fact that the volcano
was in eruption again after a silence
of seven years, it was a decidedly
chilly and forbidding reception which
awaited them as they came to the top
of the once more active mountain. The
snow is abundant one and half miles
down the sides from the crater, and
the wind is saturated with cold and
dampness which penetrates even
heavy clothing.
.ss The second day out the explorers
came within fifty feet OF the crater
Immediately after shutdown, strug-
Cling along through the heavy snow,
but they were forced to descend at
once below the snow line to lind a
camping place. Even though they has
tened back down on the same trail, 1t
was intensely dark before they could
pause. Here during the night the Their
mometer registered u degrees, tenn
perature which was made much worse
by the stropg north wind that swept
across the unbroken lava field.
Climbing Exhausts the Mules.
During the night Doctor Baker was
quite sick and incapable of further ef'
fort, But 1t was determined that an
early start for the top be made by Mr..
Bowdish and the younger guide. The
mules were quite exhausted with their
two days of work, closing with the
supreme effort of the night before, and
were scarcely rested for another effort
when it was by no means sure that
they could get through to the rim OF
the crater. It Is constant rise to
the very edge of the great cavity.
Mr. Bowdish and the guide felt we'll
repaid for their daring attempt to
cross that barrier Of snow, for they
saw one cone still active, throwing
lava up $50 feet or more, while near
by was a bowl that was boiling
splashing lava to the height of 30 feet
or more. Just beyond these to the
south was a narrow line Of fire where
a stream of lava had not fully cooled
on the surface. There was smoke Is
suing at a dozen or more places IN
comparatively small volumes, but nc
fire was visible or other cones IN
sight. The whole floor was vas'
black surface with practically no un
evenness, barring the chilled walls O
lava streams apparently no longer &C
tive.
The active core was from fifty Il
one hundred and fifty feet high, ant
the display Of white-hot lava was Ike
the illumination Of gigantic "fowe
not" in fireworks. The lava was thrown
nm three times the distance OF TIT
height of the cone above its crest. INT
lava lost its color before 1t reache'
he highest point and became olacl
against the blanket of show which wa
on the slope of the farther side OF tn
crater Except for this relatively small
slope all that the party could see iron
their location was perpendicular wall
on all sides.
Trail Through Lava Flows.
The party required two days t
make the ascent and a half day les
for the return, during the short winte
DAYS. They had had no bad weathe
except drizzling rain the first afte'
noon and night. This clear Weathe
was indeed fortunate, for the compl
Gated trail must be followed to avoi
the later flows of lava, like great ciinl
ers which are impossible for animal
and must be avoided. For rs miles Q
more the unbroken pillows and eros
streams of black lava are Irregular
covered by the later and impassaol
flows, making q labyrinth OF the ira
which only the initiated can follow