GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY OF HAWAII. 101 



weoweo. The liiilit first seen on ^Nlay 1st disappeared, however, and nothinti' of 

 note occurred until November .Ith, when a flow started t'l-din Ihc iiorllicast slope 

 of Mauna Loa at a point in the vicinity of* the soui'ce of the How of 1855. It 

 proved to be one of the most important ei'uptions and flows on rccoi-d in thr 

 islands. Although the amount of lava poured out did not equal that of the 

 '55 flow, the distance covered was "reater than that of any How from any island 

 volcano. 



From an opening in the side of the mountain at an altitude of abont 11,000 

 feet the stream soon divided into three branches. The first branch, known as 

 the Kea stream, ran in the direction of that mountain and terminated in t la- 

 flat between the two mountains. The second, the Kan stream, ran in the direc- 

 tion of Kilauea and was plainly seen from the A^olcano House. The main stream, 

 however, continued in the direction of Hilo, where on August 10, 1881. it finally 

 stopped at a point only three-quarters of a mile from the town, after flowing in 

 a tortuous course more than thirty-five miles in length. As the stream slowly 

 but surelv worked its wav nearer and nearer the town, excitement was intense, 

 not only in Hilo but throughout the group. But at last, after nine months of 

 activity, the flow finally stopped, leaving the city unharmed. 



In December of the year 1886, earthquakes became frequent and violent on 

 the opposite side of the mountain ; about Kahuku they increased in frequency 

 until from three to six hundred were noted by different observers in the two or 

 three days between January 17th and January 19th, 1887. Light was seen 

 at the summit several times during this period, but it was on the afternoon of 

 the 18th that the outbreak occurred at 6,500 feet elevation and at a point twenty 

 miles from the sea on the Kahuku side of Mauna Loa. 



The following day l\v noon the lava stream had reached the sea at a point 

 four miles west of the flow of 1868. By noon of the 24th the flow ceased, l)u! 

 not until more lava had been poured forth than during the earlier flow. 



Activity was renewed in 1899 on the north slope of ^launa Loa at what 

 was called the Dewey Crater, out of compliment to the distinguished admiral 

 whose achievement at Manila Bay was coincident with that of the eruption. On 

 June 20th earth shocks were felt in Hawaii, and on July 1st light was to be 

 seen over the pit in the top of the mountain. On July 5th th( re came an out- 

 break of lava on the slopes six miles northeast of ^loknaweoweo. The point of 

 eruption was at an elevation of near 11,000 feet, a short distance above the 

 point of origin of the 1880 flow. Fountains of fire could be seen spouting high 

 in air, and parties started at once from Hilo and the Volcano llonse to visit 

 the soiu-ce of the flow. It was found that two fountains were in operation 

 almost a mile apart, but later the upper one died down and a third hecjune 

 active near the second. The streanLs fi-om these fountains united and flowed 

 towards Mauna Kea. The lava continued to flow until July L'titli. ruiuiing 

 fifteen miles from its source in a stream which was a mile in width at the widest 

 part. 



Eight years passed before Mauna Loa again gave forth an ei-uptive flow. 



