38 



Kilauca and Manna Loa. 



ances the}- at last set out in three divisions. I now quote the account given by the 

 Rev. Sheldon Dibble,'^ taken from those who survived this terrible journey: 



The company in advance had not proceeded far, before the ground began to shake and 

 rock beneath their feet, and it became quite impossible to stand. Soon a dense cloud of darkness 

 was seen to rise out of the crater, and almost at the same instant the thunder began to roar in the 

 heavens and the lightning to flash. It continued to ascend and spread abroad until the whole region 

 was enveloped, and the light of day was entirely- excluded. The darkness was the more terrific, 



FIG. 33. UWEK.\HUN,\ FROM VOI,C.4.NO HOUSK. 



being made visible by an awful glare from streams of red and blue light variously combined, that 

 issued from the pit below, and lit up at intervals by the intense flashes of lightning from above. Soon 

 followed an immense volume of sand and cinders which were thrown in high heaven and came down 

 iu a destructive shower for many miles around. Some few persons of the forward company were 

 burned to death by the sand and cinders, and others were seriously injured. All experienced a 

 suffocating sensation upon the lungs and hastened on with all possible speed. 



The rear body, which was nearest the volcano at the time of the eruption, seemed to suffer 

 the least injury, and after the earthquake and shower of sand had passed over, hastened forward to 

 escape the dangers which threatened them, and rejoicing in mutual congratulations that they had 

 been preserved in the midst of such imminent peril. But what was their surprise and consternation, 

 when on coming up with their comrades of the centre party, they discovered them all to have become 

 corpses. Some were lying down, and others were sitting upright clasping with dying grasp, their 

 wives and children, and joining noses (their form of expressing affection) as in the act of taking a 

 final leave. So much like life they looked, that they at first supposed them merely at rest, and it 



"History of the Sandwich Ishmds, bj- Sheldon Dibble. Lahainaluna, 1H43, p. 65. 



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