Traveling FoiDitains. 221 



repeatedh' seen the empty pit and never a conduit of such size, if indeed any, that 

 could be considered passages for the retreating lava while the pit was emptying itself. 



On the outer walls of the pit was the line distinctly marking the surface before 

 the fall of September 4th of last year; below this, on the south side, was a series of 

 dislocated benches like seat rows in an amphitheatre, but inclined at various angles 

 to the horizontal ; on the eastern side was the large mass of wall which had sunk 

 perhaps a hundred feet as shown on the survey of Mr. Lydgate, and over this (of which 

 the inner edge is much the higher) was the most comfortable, although not the most 

 extensive, view of the molten pool, the heat at the usual point of observation being 

 altogether unbearable. 



This pool, to most visitors the great attraction of Kilauea, was, as we had sup- 

 posed from the brilliant light reflected from the clouds the night before, in a remark- 

 able state of activity. Not a sign of the alternate crusting over and breaking up so 

 common a phenomenon on former visits to Halemanmau ; all was in violent and exces- 

 sive commotion within the banks of the great pool. At first the current controling 

 the whole surface was strong towards the east bank, moving, as I estimated, at the 

 rate of five miles an hour, but others visiting the pool on the same day at a later hour 

 trebled this estimate. It seemed as if the molten contents were pouring out, and one 

 looked at the opposite rim to note a subsidence, but there was none. Over the entire 

 surface were jets by many score, not like the fountains seen when lava breaks from 

 the mountain side or from the bottom of Mokuaweoweo, but jets more like those shown 

 in Plate LX of Dana Lake. These were of varying diameter, but perhaps averaged 

 twelve feet in height. All were moving in the current, but apparently independent of it 

 in some degree, for frequentlj' those behind would overtake the next in advance, melt 

 into its substance and continue with accelerated speed : this action was repeated tiutil 

 perhaps ten were gathered into one great sheaf, increased in height as well as in 

 diameter until the united mass was fifteen or more feet high and ten feet in diameter, 

 when it dashed violentl}^ against the bank, throwing spatters on to the bench above 

 and spinning abundance of Pele's hair from the drops. All the trail shown on Mr. 

 Lydgate's map was covered by the splashes.'"' 



These "traveling fountains," mentioned before b}' Mr. Baldwin, were new to me in 

 all lU}' observations of the Kilauean pools. Pele had not exhausted her repertoire, 

 and presently some large, almost flat, floating islands appeared on the western margin. 

 Whence they came was not evident, but they were very black, perhaps a hundred feet 

 by fift}' and appeared to be launched from the brilliant glow on the west coast. 

 They had not floated a hundred 3-ards from the shore before the jets (which I likened 



"'This trail was marked in the copy of the map in the Register, but does not appear on the copy he sent nie, 

 which was used for the illustration. [599] 



