Evening star., 1936-01-05
By Harriet K. Whitman.

By Harriet K. Whitman.
~ THURSDAY evening. No.
4 vember 81. soon after a
short sub-tropical twilight,
~ a great red glow was seen in
the southerly sky. Friends telephoned
friends that the long-expected event
had happened and that there was an
eruption on Mauna Loa, the "Old
Faithful" of volcanoes under the
American flag, located on the Island
of Hawaii some 200 miles away. Hun
dreds of Honolulu residents crowded
vantage points along Oahu's coast.
watched and speculated on the red
glow that suffused the horizon.
The first Inter Island plane left
at o'clock Friday morning. and
was fortunate enough to get a seat
on the second plane, leaving John
Rodgers airport at $50 am. Shortly
after leaving Honolulu we were able
TO see huge cone Of smoke which
grew in size as We few toward it,
slowly, in our impatience, passing the
islands Of lanai. Molokai and Maui
Our plane climbed steadily and
soon we we're able to see the color Of
fire Most Of the nine passengers
had cameras and rushed from one
window to another to get pictures
from every possible angle. Finally,
at l3, 900 feet, we saw the crater itself.
Collars were turned up and there
were complaints Of cold feet-because
it does get cold at $4,000 feet here in
Hawaii. AL eyes were concentrated
upon the huge fountain Of fire and
we were 13,300 feet before We saw the
lava flows. Gasps Of awe and wonder
as we looked down upon the most
magnificent Of all spectacles! Tongues
Of fire leaping skyward and cascading
into q huge red caldron. Five great
hows-looking like veins of deep red
blood flowing at terrific pace down
the mountainside.
It was so awe inspiring that we
were silent, and even forgot our
cameras for a moment. The pilot
pointed the plane toward Hilo. but
fortunately the president of the Inter
Island Airplane Co. was with us and
sent forward a ncte to circle the
volcano again and again.
Speeches with the terrible beauty.
| we flew on to Hilo where box lunches
we're awaiting us as We had 20
minutes before the plane left for the
return flight to Honolulu. I knew
that I could not leave the island with
t,i< ~
night so decided to stay and chance
seeing more.
T COATING friends of mine on the
other side Of the island on their
way to Humuula I set out for Weimea.
I was able to get in touch with them
at c. C. c. camp, watching the
volcano eruption at an altitude Of
$500 feet, but miles from the
bottom of the flow. They told me they
planned to return to Waimea, drive
around the island, and climb the other
side of Mauna Loa, by way of the
Mauna Loa Trail. This sounded mad
but everyone was mad with excite
ment. So, instead Of waiting for
them I took the Humuula Trail and
drove toward the red glow in the sky.
The trail was only COW path and
scarcely wide enough for one car, but
there were dozens going in each di-
rection. Progress, naturally. was slow
| and dangerous.
About 10 o'clock I met them, and,
hearing that I could see but little
more at the c. c. c. camp than from
where we were, we all returned to
waimea, then on to Paauhau, q sugar
plantation, where we spent Friday
night.
Up early on Saturday and hurried
telephone calls for sweaters, blankets,
boots, horses and food. In Hilo we
made q fruitless search for woolen
underwear, but found only a pair OF
boys outing flannel pajamas. The
customers in the sub-tropics of Hilo
want cotton and there is no need Of
carrying woolens.
The manager Of the Kapapala
Ranch had picked six of his best
trail horses for our party, accompanied
Oy TWO COWUOyS duu eWO CAtAo pom
horses. They were sent to Five Tanks,
which Is on the Kapapala Ranch at
the end of the automobile road and
the point where the Mauna Loa trail
starts winding its tortuous way
through lava fields to the top Of the
volcanoes. Four men, another girl and
7 tied every available sweater to our
saddles, also slickers for protection
against the wind. Our hurriedly as
sembled costumes were unique and
amusing. I think mine was the most
grotesque-consisting Of the striped
pajamas. a mans gray sweat shirt
brown riding breeches held up by a
black and white bathing suit belt
mems white wooden socks, my high
heel brown sandals, a felt hat tied
on with polka dot scarf, white
cotton gloves, dark glasses and
masque of cold cream.
Our pack horses were laden with
blankets, food and water. The excel
lent horses all had painfully wide
stock saddles, In which We became
restive long before we reached the
top and which we thoroughly loatH z