Show 1 A gigantic spectacle f v E editor advertiser the people of honolulu do not nob appreciate what the conditions tire are at the volcano of kilauea Kilau ea if they i did the steamers steamer running to io hawaii would not be large enough to carry the pa passengers ss angers j going to see tile the stupendous ous sight visible there within the last few weeks the P central pit has filled up by the rising of molten lava until its floor is now only about feet above the be floor of the main crater v at this love level feet below the spectator there is a lake of molten lava in ill the le shape of the figure eight approximately feet long by ay feet wide near the center of the northern lobe of the lake is an ail island some 75 feet in length it in tile the shape of a half moon within the little buy bay formed by the i points of this island there is an ail almost constant boiling of the molten lava with explosive bursts of gas every minute or so which throws masses of the molten fluid into the air some soine 30 to 40 feet and scatters it over an ail area of approximately feet in diameter it dimmed 1 lately after each outburst of if gas a tremendous suction draws the lava from a radius of feet of tile the bay into a vortex like that thai of a maelstrom great cakes of lava 15 or au feet in diameter being turned up on oil edge sucked in ill and disappearing like t chips down it a whirlpool immediately north of the I 1 asland land at a distance of not incel than feet there is is a gigantic outpouring of lava from beneath without any ally bubbles blib bles or explosions it I 1 looks like in an enormous spring tile the lava simply welling up and flowing off in all direct directions ious the current is so rapid that the surface of the lake doe snot have lime to COO cool except in spots and these spots are at frequent intervals up heaved by convulsions from beneath and the black crust engulfed in the li quid lava beneath the crusts honking itri king tile the banks of the lake which are from four to six feet high are either shoved bodily up on the banks like ice cakes in ill tile the artic or upturned on oil C edge d ue and swallowed up in t the lie fiery deptris below at inter vals boiling 0 spots appear appeal at various various points point on oil the lake oil en golfing alfing the lack black cakes of I 1 lava a va floating thereon the outpour ing of lava from the great spring is so great refit eliat tile the level of the ille liquid lava is raised faster than v i y i v vt the surrounding banks can itt tn 11 it and at frequent Ire quent intervals tue banks give way and torrents of lava flow in surround ing territory in tile the pit until that portion of the pit is raised to a level which stems the hood flood this action has been going on now for several weeks thu the lake constantly enlarging and tho floor of tile the pit being raised by the overflows of lava the ille brilliance of the action can be judged from the fact that a lantern 1 is not needed in ill crossing the rough floor of the crater the light from t cho lake being more than sufficient to show the trail in its details the glare of the lake can call also be seen any ail y clear night from hilo and ion hon I capo at distance of 31 and 35 miles respectively there has been no such grand exhibition of volcanic action at kilauea since 1894 when the bottom dropped out of tile the lake forming fori ning the present pit it if the present rate of filling of the pit goes on oil it should be tilled and running over by the end of lh is year there Il lere can be no certainty however that the action will continue on its present magnificent C scale and tiny any one who wishes to see one of the grandest natural phenomena now visible on tile the face fa ice of the earth should lose no time in ill going to tile the volcano LORRIN A THURSTON |