168 NATURAL HISTORY OF HAWAII. 



This welliii':- of the liquid lava is in marked contrast to what takes place 

 at volcanoes of the explosive sort. Their vents seal over after each explosive 

 eruption, and to all appearances they die out apparently to remain dead forever 

 Usually, howevei-. tho.\- awake and explode without warning, presenting' a magnifi- 

 eent spectacle of volcanic power that results too often in all the horrors attend- 

 ing the loss of life and property. 



At Kilauca. as has been stated, dift'erent conditions prevail. The action 

 thci-e is coiitincd. in the main, within the crater itself, and the interest centers 

 in what actually takes place in the lower i)it of Ilalemaumau rather than, as 

 on near-by .Mauiia Loa, in the flow which may course down the mountain side. 



The Explosive Eruption of 1789. 



Willioiit (l(>iil)t one of the most remarkable exhibitions of volcanic force 

 which has occurred at Kilauea since the islands were first inhabited by the na- 

 tives occurred in the year 1789 — a little over ten years after the discovery'^ of 

 the group by ('a|)tain James Cook. 



In November of that year, Keoua, a native chief of Hawaii, with a band of 

 followers set (m\ from Hilo to return to Kau in pursuit of a rival chief whose 

 warriors in liis absence were invading his home district. Hastily returning from 

 llilo with reinforcements, the shortest route took him by the overland trail 

 which passed the brink of the volcano Kilauea. They camped at the crater two 

 days, during which time it was very active. On the second night, being in a 

 state of terror and scarcely knowing which way to proceed, they divided into 

 three companies, presumably for safety, and set out upon their journey in fear 

 and trend)]ing. The party in the lead had not proceeded far, according to the 

 historian Dibble, "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 electric eft'ect 

 upon the air was so great that the thunder began to roar in the heavens and 

 the liuhtning to flash. It continued to ascend and spread abroad until the 

 whole region was enveloped and the light of day entirely excluded. The dark- 

 ness was the more terrific being made visible l)y an awful glare from the 

 streams of red and blue light, variously combined, that issued from the crater 

 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 thro^\^l in 

 high heaven and came down in a destructive shower for miles around. Some 

 few persons in the forward company were burned to death l)y the sand and 

 cindcfs and others were seriously injured. All experienced a suftocating sensa- 

 tion n])on the lungs and hastened on with all 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, 



December 8, 1777. 



