ERUPTION OF THE HAWAIIAN VOLCANOES. 



583 



Map of Southern Hawaii and the Eruption of 1868. 1 



of Mauua Loa. The outburst of April 7th commenced about ten miles from the sea by the 

 opening of a horrid fissure in the forest on the upper side of this precipice. For about 

 three miles the burning river flowed down partly above and partly below this precipice. 

 The area above was rich and beautiful land for cultivation and pasturage ; that below was 

 simply pahoehoe. The four lateral streams before mentioned all ran off upon the beautiful 

 highlands, covering several thousand acres, but without reaching the sea. Some three miles 

 from the head, the main stream went altogether over the precipice, and pursued its rapid 

 course over the pahoehoe some seven miles to the sea, which it reached in two hours. 

 There it formed, as is usual when lava streams enter the sea, two cones of lava sand, or lava 

 shivered into millions of particles by coining in contact with water while in an intensely 

 heated state. There is no island there, and there is nothing but what is common under 

 similar circumstances. This stream is about half a mile wide, and it entered the sea some 

 three fourths of a mile from the high pali before spoken of. After running a day or two, 

 in this channel, partial obstructions occurred, by cooling masses, when the shell of the 

 stream was tapped some five miles from the sea, and a torrent of white-hot lava pushed out 

 on the east side, running off to the great precipice and following its base in a breadth of 

 half a mile down to the sea, and thus forming an island five miles long and a cpuarter of a 

 mile wide, surrounded on three sides by fire. Three houses stand unscathed on this islet, 

 and about thirty head of cattle were inclosed by the igneous flood." 



1 The lava streams are greatly exaggerated in breadth, and show merely the general form. 



