Show ARE SUPERSTITIOUS OVER ERUPTIONS OF VOLCANO Result of Pele's Wrath in 1824 Hawaiians Believe Hilo Hawaii Science Science and superstition tion vie Ie with each other in explaining the present unusual activity at the of the Kilauea Volcano vol vol- cano cane Science In the person of Roy Finch temporarily In charge of the volcano observatory at Kilauea advances the theory that tons of rock avalanched down from tram the sides of the tho crater have bave choked the vent through which Mother Nature usually eases the pressure on the tho earth by b pouring forth surplus lava Into the great pit raising raisins the lava la lakIn lake lak lakeIn In the crater and withdrawing the fiery substance from the crater when pressure pressure pres- pres sure has bas been more moro than relieved The lava underneath the surface unable unable unable un un- un- un able to find Its way into the open generates generates gen gen- crates gas which blasts its way out o othe ot of the vent carrying with it tons o ot of and dust The explosions an and earthquakes shake down further avalanches ava ava- lanches from the crater sides which again may ma block the vent yent in an unendIng Ing lag circle according to the theory But the Hawaiians have returned t to history and tradition to the act of ot th the brave Kapiolani the Christian princess princes who dared the wrath of Pele the fir fire goddess exactly years ago The They sa say that Pele waited a century to become become become be be- come or angry with the people of the princess and to vent her ber wrath for Kapiolani's Impious act In December 1824 the tale runs th the Princess Kapiolani converted to Christianity Christianity Chris Chris- by the first missionaries wh who came In 1820 forsook the worship o oher of her people She Journeyed from Hll HUo to Kilauea and spent the night in a huon buton buton but hu on the brink of She at ate forbidden berries of ot the tabu or which were consecrated to Pele an ac act of Insult to the goddess She stood on the brink of the tho crater with Its overactive ever over active fictive lava lake loke below and cried to toPete Pele Pete Jehovah Is most powerful Jehovah Jehovah Je Je- Je- Je hovah Is my God I defy thee Pele Hawaiians stood In are ur-J while sh she spoke Pele Iele they said would surely rise In her wrath make moke the earth tremble and und cast forth the seething lava Inva of her lake as ns she did in 1700 1790 when the army of ot the high chief Keoua was annihilated But nothing hap hap- had won a great mora moral victory Ictor but today the Hawaiians shake I their heads some of them saying that tha Pele merel merely waited years ears to open her hr campaign of vengeance |