GEOLOGY. 265 



extent of the region of disturbanco beneath the crater. For 9 

 liours, on the night of December 8-9, the mountain was vomiting 

 flames and lava to a prodigious height. Stones and burning mat- 

 ter were projected from the crater, and so high did some of these 

 projectiles reach, that the sand and smaller stones fell even over 

 Messina, or to a distance of upwards of 40 miles from the cone. 



*' The lava flowed in every direction from the crater, devastating 

 the surrounding country. After the second great outburst the 

 eruption became somewhat less active ; but that the mountain is 

 far from being likely soon to sink to rest is evidenced by the fact 

 that deafening detonations still continue to be heard. If any 

 further evidence were wanting of the magnificence of the scale 

 on which Etna is now erupting it would be found in the fact that 

 the news we have received comes from Valetta, which is upwards 

 of 120 miles from Etna." 



GREAT VOLCANIC ERUPTION AT HAWAII. 



History and tradition record no such commotion on Hawaii as 

 occurred in March afid April, 1868. On March 27th, numerous 

 slight earthquake shocks were felt in Kau, in the southern district 

 of the island ; on the 28th they became more frequent and ener- 

 getic, extending to Hilo and to Kona on the west, and on this day 

 Are and lava poured down the south-east slope of Mauna Loa, and 

 from a huge rent near the summit crater Mokuaweowes. The 

 quaking of the earth was most fearful in Kau, and it seemed that 

 all the fires of the mountain and of Kilauea were struggling to 

 force their way down to the ocean from their subterranean cav- 

 erns. The sea of lava must have been enormous, working under- 

 ground in numerous ducts, under a tract many miles broad ; it 

 was evident that Kilauea and the mother-mountain, Loa, were 

 acting in concert. On April 2d a terrific shock occurred, rending 

 the earth in all directions over Kau and Hilo, prostrating trees and 

 dwellings, and continuing for 3 minutes. Soon after this the sea 

 rose 6 feet above high-water mark. Between Kapapala and Kea- 

 iva, about 26 miles from Kilauea, the earth suddenly opened, and 

 a, mass of earth, stones, and mud, without fire, was thrown up 2 

 or 3 miles long and as many wide, and from 4 to 15 feet thick, 

 burying people, houses, and cattle. At the same time tbere arose 

 a tidal wave 15 to 20 feet high, caused probably b}' a submarine 

 disgorgement of lavas into the sea. The wave was fiery red, 

 from the eruption of igneous matter for 15 miles along the coast. 

 For 4 or 5 weeks before the eruption there were heavy and con- 

 tinuous rains, carrying a vast amount of water into the subterra- 

 nean streams and reservoirs ; the descent of such quantities of 

 water to the rising columns of lava probably hastened and intensi- 

 fied the catastrophe. Many lives were lost and much proi^erty 

 destroyed. 



At Kau, on April 2d, after a fearful earthquake, an immense 

 torrent of molten lava burst out from the top of the bluff, rushing 

 across the plain below, and overwhelming everytliing in its course. 



23 



