DISAPPEARANCE OF A LAKE OF LAVA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5634, 6 December 1879, Page 7

DISAPPEARANCE OF A LAKE OF LAVA.

Oxe feature of the la3t eruption of the remarkable volcano in the Sandwich Islands is the fact that the great molten lake of lava, occupying a huge caldron nearly a mile in leugth, and known as the "South Lake," was drawn off subtjrraueously, giving no visible indication of its pathway or the place of its final deposit. " Other eruptions," writes Dr. Coan to Professor Dana in a letter dated June 20, "have blazed their way on the surface to the sea, or while on their subterranean way have rout the superincumbent beds, throwing out jets of steam or of sulphurous gases, with here aud there small patches or broad areas of lava. But as yet no surface-marks of this kind reveal the silent, solemn, cour3e of this burning river. One theory is that it flowed deep in subtcrrauean fissures, and finally disembogued far out at sea. Our ocean was much disturbed during those clays, aud we had what might be called a tidal-wave of moderate magnitude." The old process of replenishment which had gone on since the last eruption in ISGS is reported to havo begun agaiu, and after another decade another disgorgement may take place,