A BOILING VOLCANO.

Press, Volume XXXV, Issue 4824, 20 January 1881, Page 3

A BOILING VOLCANO.

From the " Hawaiian Gazette " we take the following—The great excitement of the week on Hawaii has been the new and wonderful volcanic display on Mauna Loa. It was first seen at Hilo, between the hours of 12 midnight and 2 a.m. on Saturday, November 6th. It appears to be at or near the summit crater, and the lava could be distinctly seen leaping like a fiery fountain into the eij. Daring Saturday the mountain was clear moet of the day, and the flow was watched with great interest. At first a stream of liquid fire was seen running directly toward Mauna Sea. At nine o'clock Saturday morning a seoond flow appeared, making a straight course for Hilo. Before it reached half the distance to the line of woods it turned at an almost right angle to the north of the flat land between Mauna Loa and Mauna Sea. The clouds obscured the vista at night, and during Sunday, but on Monday morning between the hours of 2 and 5 o'clock, it was again plainly visible. It then appeared to be moving in a northerly course along tbe ridge of the mountain for about half of the distance toward Mauna Kea, and then to disappear behind the ridge toward Kona. the light from the whole length of its course being plainly visible, and the broken stream of molten lava showing that a vast quantity of ■ material was being thrown out. The olouda again obscured the view, but early on Wednesday morning it was again seen, this timo in two distinct flows, one of whioh, to all appearance, was making rapid strides towards Kau On Wednesday evening the cloud display was most gorgeous. The flow towards Mauna Sea had evidently covered a vast tract of the almost level table land lying between the two mountains, but it had lost the vivid color of a couple of days previous, showing that its fores in that direction was nearly spent. Tbe stream towards Kau was increasing in brilliancy, and making rapid headway. It was reported to have reached a point not 10 miles distant from the crater of Silauea. On Thursday morning it wag aeen but for a short time, when the clouds and rain shut out all view of the mountain. At times during the evening the clouds would lift & little and a glimpse of light appear. At 2 a.m. on Friday the mountain was nearly clear, and a bright light was seen shooting up from near the summit crater high into the clouds above, and the flow toward Kilauea and Kau was traceable by the reflection on the clouds. There was no reflection over the flow toward Mauna Sea, and no fire to be seen in that direction. Gradually the clouds lowered, and by seven o'clock shut out all view. Another account says, under date of November 13th :—The flow of lava from Mauna Loa still continues, and the soene presented from the sea beggars description. On Wed* nesday night the flow could be seen distinctly from Hilo, winding its way toward Puna, with a small branch stream running toward Hilo. The stream running toward Puna is about thirty miles in length, and from 100 to 200 yards in width, with a depth of abouty twenty feet. On the same night the two streams ran parallel for some distance and presented a very beautiful sight. Columns of smoke and steam asoended from both streams and united in an aroh overhead, forming an avenue through which could be seen for miles the molten mass boiling and seething, here and there throwing up immense oonea, to be as suddenly burnt asunder, and in other places immense columns of lava would be thrown to the height of 200 feet or more. Mr Cohn, who was sent to the soene of eruption by Mr Severance, to ascertain the direction of the flow, states that on Thursday afternoon the main stream was within ten miles of the Volcano House and running towards Puna, while the smaller stream was within fifteen miles of Hilo ; but he apprehended no danger to Hilo, as the stream was very sluggish, and would have to fill up an intervening guioh before it could get to.tbe town. At its present rate it would take many months to even fill the gulch. There is an immense lake of molten lava on the plateau between Mauna Sea and Mauna Loa, nearly fifteen miles in circumference, whioh feeds the streams, and in turn ij fed from the crater, which is still throwing out immense quantities of lave. On Friday night the sight was not as brilliant as it has been, probably on account of the surface lava having to a certain extent cooled.