The Washington herald., 1921-08-07

THE glaciers Of Alaska and Montana, the
geysers of the Yellowstone, the Falls Of
Niagara, and Kiaues's Fountains Of Lii
quid Fire are Uncle Sans big four Of
natures extraordinary phenomena, eI-
pressed in varied forms of water and fame.
Kisuea, in our youngest territory Of
Hawaii, has just been added to our won
derful group Of great national parks. 1t
Is, perhaps, less familiary known than
are the others. So the experiences of q
tojourn of thirteen months in the Hawaiian
archipelago, spending four months near the
rim of the crater of Kilauea and travers-
ing, for the most part afoot. every portion
Of the park may be of timely interest and
serve 10 introduce Kiauea to many who
may wish to know it better.
first saw Kilauea at monday. As We
neared the crater we noticed volumes Of
sulphurous steam rising from cracks around
il. Soon the crater itself appeared, black,
bleak, repellent caldera or pit an enormous
Slnknole on q Wloe pldtedu' 1OOO LecI dDOFe
the sea. 1t is nearly eight miles in cir
cumference, and has a somewhat slanting
floor of rough broken lava, scanned with
numberless cracks. Its area is more than
four square miles. 1t varies in depth from
Fifty feet at the southern side and uptilted
base to 900 feet at the cliff bound, north
ern and down dropping one.
The crater Of Kilauea is no longer erup-
tive, its last performance of that nature
occurring in 1893. Within this crater is the
pit Of Halemaumau. popularity known as
The House of Everlasting Fire" Hale
maumau is q small live crater within a huge
dead one. 1t ranges in diameter from 12OU
10 1900 feet, even slightly more-for all
is subject to change in volcanic regions
and Is as deep as you please, for it is fed
at its bottom (which rises and falls at ir-
regular intervals of time( with molten lava
through conduits or subways leading to the
reservoirs of magma. or glowing melt. hid
den and stored in the interior of the earth.
This molten mass, or fire. paste, viscous.
like boiling mucilage, sirup, or glue Wit
reous, like super heated glass; whitish
and gold, is constantly rising and falling,
and from time to time heaving and surging
and breaking forth into wonderful and
countless fountains of liquid FIRE. Hale
naumau has borne for ages the name Of
Lua Pele, The Firepit of Pele," the
ancient Hawaiian goddess and mistress OF
this volcanic caldron.
There are periods, sometimes prolonged,
when the fluid lava in Hslemaumsu en-
tirely sinks away into the inner recesses OF
the earth. At these times nothing can be
seen in the pit but volcanic smudge and
haze. faint glow shows at points around
the base, or through a fssure, here and
there on the floor of the pit, which has been
known to sink to a depth of nearly 1000
feet. At other times. often PROLONGED when
the melt returns, but Is low IN the pit. and
Halemaumsu is only feebly active, she is
very much less spectacular and interesting.
REACHED Kilauea at the beginning. Of
i period Of extreme volcanic activity
which continued for months. Halemaumau
WAS brirful Of molten lava. There was
q cleft in the side of the pit, just under
meath the broken, upheayed blocks Of black,
pahoehoe lava surrounding its edge, through
which the liquid lava ran rapidly, and
flowed In q stream of bright yellow, .,
Il first emerged, spreading out and cooling
into q lake Of cherry red under the bluffs
forming Kilauea's northwestern wall. Along
the outer margin of this molten lake wal
fringe of long tongues or toes of liquid
dre, pushing their sinuous way across the
black, irregular, fssured bed Of the crater
Of Kilauea. like veritable. fiery serpents.
Looking into Kilauea at night, wher
Halemaumau Is overhowing, reminds one o
viewing an immense, roofess blast furnace
from an airplsne at such time: Q self
stins furnace In which the molten iron Il
splitting out and running every which way
across the floor, stresking II lurid ret
along every seam and crack. A, stcc'
On the elevated rds Of tbs big crater. N
uauid substances from Halemsumsu. hes-s.
TO q vhitish yellew. vss pouring forth Wit
Greatly NOR. than tb. speed Of q mflIraee