Milford chronicle., 1915-05-07
INSIDE A VOLCANO
Looking Down Into Kilauea's
Lake of Boiling Lava.
LIKE A PIT OF LIQUID FIRE.
A Play Of Flaming colors So Dazzling
In the Darkness Of the Vast Crater
That II Terrifies the SPeetator-A
Veritable Fountain of Fire.

! According to all the rules OF school
Biographies, volcano ought to De
situated on top Of mountain; 1t Oughl
to throw out stones and ashes anu
molten lava; its crater should be IN the
shane of an inverted cone, and should
emit terrifying noises; periodically II
should overwhelm a village or two.
Kilauea, on the island of Hawaii, con
forms to none Of these specifications.
1t has thrown out neither stones nor
ashes since it annihllated the army thal
was marching against kamehameha'
almost a hundred and fifty years ago.
II retains its lava within its own era
fer. which is not shaped like an IN
verted cone. The sides are from lUO
to 700 feet high and 7.S5 miles in CIR
cumference. and the floor covers 2'oJu
acres The volcano seldom makes ter
rifving Roises-at least Of the KIND
heard in Imagination by a schoolboy-
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 a hard lava bed, more or less up
and down, since lava hardens quickly
and remains as it flowed in great ropes
and ripples. A few yards from shore
one comes naturally to call the bank
''shore"-a ragged crack is crossed by
a wooden bridge. At the time TINS
crack opened, a large party was III the
crater. They stayed long because they
were delighted with the unusual ac-
tivitv of the lake and had no idea
/ that this activity extended beyond the
pit of fire until at last they started to
| go back TO the hotel.
II was night and as they approached
the northern bank Of the crater their
lanterns suddenly revealed a huge rs
sure directly across their path. Al
ready molten lava was bubbling up at
the bottom. They followed the edge
of the crack, keenly conscious un-
doubtedly. as they turned to Keep
paraHel with the crater wall, that they
were on the inner edge. At last they
found a spot where the lava had spin
unevenly. leaving a projecting ledge oI
which it was possible to stand, and Sc
TO lump TO the other side. The whole
experience. with the thought OF Sink
ing TO the fires beneath or of beini
overwhelmed by the lava slowly risins
in the fissure and the utter helpless
ness of their situation, was enough u
test the most fearless.
Kilauea is really an enormous qul
escent crater with an active inner pit
This cavity is, perhaps, 1000 fee
across. and Its precipitous sides Leaf
down TO a lake of molten lava severa
acres in extent, sometimes higher
sometimes lower in the pit. This /
Halemaumau. which is cOmmonl
translated (although incorrectly "th
house of everlasting fire. 1t is Gel
tainly the house of the goddess Peie.
By daylight the lake Of fire Is
greenish yellow, cut with ragge
e cracks Of red that look like pale streak
Of stationary lightning across its SUI
face. 1t is restless, breathing rapidly
, bubbling up at one point and sinkin
/ down at another; throwing up sudde
4 fountains Of scarlet molten lava tina
play a few minutes and subside. lea'
. ing shimmering mounds that gradual
I settle 10 the level surface Of the lak'
turning brown and yellow as they sinl
Z As darkness comes, the colOrs on Tn
lake grow so intense that they almo'
hurt the eyes. The fire is not only ret
It 1t is blue and purple and orange an
). green. Blue flames simmer and da
l. about the edges of the pit back an
II forth across the surface of the restle'
mass Sudden fountains paint bloc
,s red the great plume Of sulphur smol
Il that rises constantly.
d Sometimes the spurts Of lava are
t. violent. so exaggerated by the nigh
that one draws back terrified lest son
er atom of their molten substance shou
s spatter over the edge of the precipic
Sometimes the whole lake is in motto
= Waves Of fire toss and battle with ea'
other and dash in clouds of bright We
is million spray against the black sides
as the pit Sometimes one Of these sid
is falls In with roar that echoes ba'
anu AUIlus anu ullEnl9 AVNho eAS . '-
= lowed in the liquid mass Of fire tn
closes over them In whirlpool, Iii
water over sinking ship.
e. Again everything is quiet; "a thi
scum forms over the surface of &
lake. dead. like the scum on the surfa
of a lonely forest pool. Then it shi
ers. Flashes Of fire dart from side
side. The center bursts open, and
- huge fountain OF lava twenty ft
no thick and fifty feet high streams in
ek the air and plays for several minute
nix waves of binding fire flowing Q
from It. dashing against the sides un
f a the black rocks are starred all oy
m with bits OF scarlet. All sensatio
NY are submerged in a sense of awe. II
i" vision Of the earth building forces
IN. work IS a picture so overpowering Il
no it is burned into the memory for
time.-"IIawaii, Past and Present"
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