🧚 Volcanic Activity · page 2

Dana says, “The columns of illuminated steam rose with fearful speed to a height of 14,000 to 17,000 feet and then spread out into a vast fiery cloud looking at night as if the heavens were on fire.”72

After this, there was an underground eruption to the sea marked by a fissure down the mountain side through which clouds of steam and smoke were forced.73 The lava at last found its place for escape under the sea.74

H. M. Whitney, the editor of the Hawaiian Gazette, was a witness of this submarine eruption.75 In the issue of Feb. 28, 1877, he wrote: “As the steamer Kilauea came toward the bay, the passengers saw some canoes rowing about over boiling water.76 The natives reported that about three o’clock in the morning of Feb. 24, they had seen innumerable red, blue, and green lights dancing in the waters.77 Morning disclosed a new volcano in the sea.78 The southern shore of the bay has been known as Keei point.79 The eruption appeared to be in a straight line out from this point.80 Three boats from the steamer went out, cruising over the most active part of the boiling waters, appearing as if passing over rapids.81 Blocks of lava two feet across were thrown up from beneath, striking the boats and jarring them.82 The lava was quite soft and no harm was done.83 Six stones hit the boat in one minute.84 Several hundred pieces of these stones were floating on the sea at one time.85 Nearly all the pieces on reaching the surface were red hot, emitting steam and gas strongly sulphurous.86 Several were taken into the boats, perfectly incandescent and so molten in the interior that the lava could be stirred with a stick, the water having penetrated only about an inch.87 When these stones cooled and became water soaked they sank rapidly.88 The specimens taken from the water were of the a-a variety and very light.89 Probably only the lightest came to the surface.90 Some of the lava consisted of Pele’s hair, red hot, yet preserving its peculiar characteristics.”91

Mrs. Lyman has the record of a terrible tidal wave which struck Hilo harbor in May of that same year: “1877, May 10.92 A heavy tidal wave at 5 A.M., destroying 34 houses on the Waiakea side of the harbor, also the bridge and twelve houses between Waialama and Aiko’s old store.93 One hundred and sixty people homeless, some bruised, bones broken, five dead.94 Wave was thirteen and a half feet above high water mark at Waiakea, swept inland forty rods, accurate measurement.”95 Following this on May 31, came the record “severe shake, things thrown down.”96

Dana says: “A destructive earthquake wave was felt at the Hawaiian Islands on May 10, 1877, which rose at Hilo to a height of 36 feet.97 But it was of South American origin, where there were heavy earth-shocks, and not of Hawaiian.”98

One of the eruptions from Mokuaweoweo tried to take possession of a river-bed, but the waters chilled one side of the lava and built it into a wall.99 On one side was flowing fire and on the other the swift rapids of a river.100 The antagonistic elements sought the sea side by side.101

A native account of Kilauea in “Ka Hae Hawaii [The Hawaiian Flag]” was published in Honolulu in March, 1859.102 In it is a very interesting native account of eruptions on the island Hawaii.103 The sketch is in the quaint Hawaiian tongue and is valuable throughout, but only a few extracts from the translation can be used at present.104 The story as told by the Hawaiian runs as follows:105

“In the very ancient time Mauna Kea threw out vast Pele fires, but long ago these eruptions have been imprisoned.106 The earth has covered them in on all sides and the abundant soil, large trees, and green things of many kinds are multiplying.107 But not so Mauna Loa and Hualalai, other mountains of this island Hawaii.108 Pele fires have burst forth from them even up to recent times.109

“Mauna Loa is the greatest of all the mountains, opening doors for the Pele fires from all its sides.110 Kilauea and Mokuaweoweo are the very wonderful Pele pits (craters) discharging fire from the very depths of the mountains.111

“In the year 1822, or 1823 perhaps, there was an eruption from Kilauea pouring down into the Kau district very close to the Puna line.112 From the depths of Kilauea was this bursting forth.113 The a-a (broken lava) of this eruption in its journey to the sea spread about eight miles.114 In the year 1832 the pit of Kilauea was full of burning a-a.115 It broke into some ancient tunnel connected with Kilauea and flowed away.116 The place where the a-a reached the sea is not known.117 It is supposed to have gone into the sea underground.118

“In the year 1840, the people of Puna and Hilo districts saw a great fire inland.119 They thought that the forest wilderness was burning.120 That day was the Sabbath.121 The people assembled together and looked toward the place where the fire was very great and the air was heavy with smoke.122 Then they saw that this was not an ordinary forest fire but a Pele (an eruption).123 They could not see any a-a breaking out on the mountain, and therefore were greatly afraid that it was very near and would destroy their lands.124 Volumes of smoke rolled, curling upward, while the strong steam burst forth with reports like the firing of cannon.125 On the 4th day of June that eruption poured down into the sea.126 Narrow was the flow in steep places and spread out widely in others.127 When it came to the sea mighty was the stormy rage and the boiling of the sea, the steam rising in clouds to the sky.128 There were built up on the beach two hills of black sand, about 400 feet in height.129 Only on the side from which the wind blew could any one come near.130 On the other side the smoke was very strong, offensive and sickening like a volcano.131 Then there were burning ashes destroying every green thing for many miles.132 The lands of the people of Nanawale were quickly made a desolate wilderness by the heat and the overflowing lava.133 Some animals were caught by the lava and burned to death.134 None of the people were destroyed.135 They escaped with poverty.”136

A curious and interesting statement is made by the Hawaiian fishermen of Waikiki concerning a peculiar disturbance of the sea simultaneous with all seasons of volcanic agitation.137 One of the older and more intelligent fishermen says that from his boyhood he has known a pushing up and down, backward and forward, of the waters every time that Mauna Loa has shown activity in either of its great craters.138 Fishnets are so tossed about that it is almost impossible to retain any fish in them.139 Hooks are so rapidly moved by the commotion in the waters that fishing with hook and line is not very successful.140

The Hawaiians call the ocean at such times kai-mimiki (the rushing sea).141 Mimiki is defined as a meeting of a returning wave with another advancing, and is sometimes used to express the confusion of advancing and returning tidal waves.142 Sometimes mimiki is used to denote the choppy waters which follow a storm.143 The inherent idea of the word seems to be quick, independent action of waves, bringing them into conflict with each other and destroying the quiet, regular motion.144

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