The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1920-08-26

and several hundred feet deep; tn
lava floor Is broken Up into many fan
tastie shapes and comprises ar area o.
over tNeufy y-fve hundred acres Il j
oval in shape. ltA longest diameter i
nearly three miles. the shorter diam
eier less than two miles. Al about
tso-thirds u the long diameter there
il a vast pit, nearly circular. ans
about seventeen hundred feet in diam
eter This is -Halemaumau" or -Ths
house Of everlasting FIRE. From the
edge of this pit We looked down about
three hundred feet on a sea Of raging
molten lava. lis red hot waves lashing
the erags, and almost constantly, roar
ing fountains Of lava were playing
and q stream of lava. ike river
poured from one side, and plunged into
a gorge or cavern on the other side
We gazed on this wonderful scene
from different view points. until after
seven, when We drove back 10 the
hotel and enjoyed hot dinner. The
evenings are very cool at this eleya
ton, and a big fire Of logs in the
fireplace was both cheerful and appre-
ciatcd. The guests compared notes OF
their trips, or spent the time at
bridge, checkers. or playing "pounee,
which was a new game to me, and
quite exciting as well as noisy. Al
times we had singing by a young
Canadian girl, who had very pleas
ant voice: at intervals the young
people danced to Victrola music. Dur
ing our stay at the hotel we met nice
people from Canada, Ohio, Michigan,
New Haven. Conn; Boston, Washing
ton, d. C., and one young man from
Cambridge, England The nights are
quite cool, and the wind is damp with
fog. or fine mist. The open fireplace
he'd several lava stones in the hot
ashes. and as bedtime came, these
.ocks would be poked out, and if not
hot enough to scorch paper, would be
wrapped up in newspapers, and car
RED away to warm up the sheets.
Hot water bottles were not as fashion
able Is hot lava rocks; anyway there
we're many more stones than bottles.
| cannot give the temperature at cold
est part Of the nights know the
mercury would drop to 50 before bed
tine and when the wind blew, we were
glad to sit near the fire.
One morning a party Of ten decided
. go to, and through the Thurston
lava tube. We walked along the main
road for a mile and half and came TO
ore of the twin craters. II IS a deep
basin with tree ferns and shrubs
in il. A trail made Of tree
fern trunks cut into two-foot lengths,
and laid like q corduroy road, made
very good zigzag path down to the
bottom Of the crater. A rough wood
en- stairs and bridge made the en-
trance TO the tube fairly easy and
safe. but careful stepping was needed
because OF the moisture, which made
the stairs slippery. Lanterns were
lighted and flashlights brought out
Tor the tube Is dark. and damp. This
tube was the heart of some ancient
ava flow as i streamed toward the
sea: and ripple and wave marks could
seen plainly on the sides and bot
ON OF the tube. The roof varies IN
height: the lowest part was about sew
m feet from floor, and sometimes IT
seemed TO be twice or three times as
nigh. At the end Of two hundred
,ards we came to an opening where
he roof had caved in, and a staircase
US out 10 the surface near
ne road. Undoubtedly there are many
a1eh .uhcs under ground, most Of
hem are unknown About four miles
rom the city Of Hilo are the so-caliec I
[aumanu caves to which tourists are
AIKEN as one Of the places Of interest.
These caves are really vast subterran-
an messages that were formed by the
ava Cow If lSs0-Sl. A ladder lead-
~ down into a hole made by the
avine in Of the ground gives access
8 these cave. There seems 70 be one
aain tunnel. and many side tunnels
ranch.nz out = t.. there are large
averns ard lava stalactifes MANY
ttemD.s have been mada to explore I.
bese caves. but no one has sure very
81 into them. There are pleasant /
.-lss about the hcto following the
oads and vel marked trails. Many /
eopie have cottage upon this high /
ovation. and their gardens are filled !
ath many yaricties 81 roses, fuehsIas. +,
ronas. popp.es, nastlriln ane
.ha- dlWer IN one garden vas
.ra Magnolia tree thirty feci hgh-
Re covered with blossoms and bus
ana laes grow iaxgraHty n tae :
round and hydrangsas and geran--
also
About uls from the hotel g
ruberry farm = evera. acres
hare delicious berries are raised far