Year: 1868

clear aud in0d0r0uS When we passed


three days later. A little higher up a
koa grove gives still stronger evidence to


the strength of the propelliug force. The
trees first seized are snapped of aud


PROSTATE, yet the mud in that place is


only few feet deep. The mass itself is


nothing but the loose red soil of the


mountain side, with a considerable
| sprinkling Of round boulders, with here
and there stumps Of trees, ferns, hapnu,


and amaumau, and entire lehua trunks
| Near the lower end vigorous, healthy


taro plant stood erect 10 the mud, as If it


had been planted there. From its sides


protruded portions of the bodies OF many


cattle and goats, overwhelmed in their


fight; a gain Of one second in time


might have saved them. The surface of
the mud in its lower course was rather


smooth, as if it had been forced down by


the agency OF water, and it was still so


soft that the feet sank deep into it. After


we had fanked il for some distance along


the side of the hill The mud became solid


enough to bear our weight, and we


walked upon it to the head of the pail.
| The surface gradually became more


rough, the boulders increased, and de-
tached portions of earth and stone we're


scattered beyond its borders, which also


hattened out gradually. The ascent soon


became steep, and here on short spur,
just in the middle of the mud, stands a


native house on an island of grass and
taro, hsnked by two trees. A poor wo-
man who happened to be in it at the
time of the outbreak escaped the awful
fate which doomed the remaining mem
bers of her family, and was removed
from her perilous situation few days
after, when the crust had become solid
enough to bear mans weight


As the principal interest was the dis
covery of the main source of the stream,
we at once went to that part of it where,
| according to common report, the lava
had issued. A very light dark brown
glistening pumice stone lay scattered
about long before the lava was seen.
Near the flow it increased so much that
the animals feet sank deep into it at
every STEP We soon reached the ridge
of a hill from which we surveyed the
place where, according to our guides
account, the fountain of lava had been
seen. This upper portion of the lava
stream fills broad valley or depression
between two parallel low hilla of not
more than three hundred feet high, both
running almost due north and south.
From the western one of these hills
Whitney had witnessed the eruption.
From the eastern hill we in vain looked
for a crater or cone. We did not make
out any indication of the character
of the eruption until We had crossed
nearly tbree-fourths of the stream,
which here is not far from mile
wide. Then our attention was attracted
by an accumulation Of scoria. Nearing
this we were struck by current of hot
air, and little farther on found our
selves on the brink of a deep gap in the
lava about twenty feet wide, but narrow.
ing and continuing itself northward.
We walked round the southern end Of
the gap and followed it up on the west
or lee side. Before long we came to an-
other enlargement Of the fissure like the
former, emitting hot air charged with
acid gases, which drove us back STILL
continuing our march on the west side
of The fissure as close as the hot gases
would allow, we came in sight Of pretty
miniature cone, built up most regularly
of loose scoria 10 the hight Of twelve
feet, and located right over the hssure.
II incloses chimney crater of about
twelve feet diameter, with perpendicular
sides, the depth of which could not be
ascertaiued Hot gases issued ia abun-
dance. On account of the exhalstion
of the latter we we're obliged to cross the
chasm on the bridge formed by the cone,
to the windward side, along which we
followed up steadily. This crack or
fssure tends south six degrees west to
north six degrees east, aud is in the slspe
of the hill that forms the west boundary
Of the lava stream. It's lava cover there
fore is quite thin in many Waces, so you
can see how it sinks in the Original rock
of the hill It's depth cannot be ascer-
tanned anywhere.


More than forr fifths Of the lava is on
its eastern side, as it followed the declivi
iy of the hillslope TO ell the trough Of
the valley, where it assumed general
downward course. 1t is from the entire
length OF the fssure that the lava has
welled up simultaneously. The waves Of
lava for some distance from it are all
parallel to its course, while in the middle
Of the stream they stand st right angle
TO il. The edges are somewhat raised
above the remainder Of the stream, aud
scoris covers it in most parts, forming
quite heavy layers where the stream has
blowholes. Isolated fakes Of brittle lava,
resembling cow-dung, probably blown
out at the end Of the eruption, with fitful
spouting Of steam and gas, are seen
along its course. Nearing the upper end
OF the valley, where / expected to 6nd
the upper end Of the 6ssure, ! was sur
prised at the sudden appearance of
veritable cataract Of lava coming down
the precipitous side Of the eastern bill, q
hight Of at least three hundred feet.
Having ascended it with considerable
toll, found myself again alongside the
big crevasse, which, in passing across |
the valley, bad detected from its former
course to q nearly northeast direction,
heading direct for the summit OF Mauus
Loa


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