376 REACTION OF THE INTERIOR OF THE EARTH 



impression of stillness and solemn repose. The approach 

 of an eruption is not here announced by earthquakes or 

 subterranean noises, but solely by a sudden rising and 

 falling of the surface of the lava, sometimes from a 

 depth of 300 or 400 feet to the upper margin of the 

 basin, and the reverse. If, disregarding the enormous 

 difference of size, we should be disposed to compare the 

 colossal basin of Kilauea with the small lateral craters 

 (first circumstantially described by Spallanzani) situated 

 on the declivity of Stromboli, at four fifths of its height, 

 and of which the larger are only about 200 and the 

 smaller about 30 feet across, we should remember the 

 important distinction constituted by the fact, that these 

 fiery openings of Stromboli (which is itself unopened 

 at the summit) throw up scoriae to a great height, and 

 even pour forth lavas. Although the great lava-lake of 

 Kilauea (which may be termed the lower and secondary 

 crater of the active volcano of Mouna Loa) may some- 

 times threaten to overflow its margin, yet it never has 

 actually so overflowed as to give birth to a proper stream 

 of lava. Such streams are, however, formed by the 

 descent of the lava through subterranean channels, and 

 by the formation of new openings of eruption at a 

 distance of 16 or 20 miles from the fiery lake at points 

 much lower down. After such eruptions, occasioned 

 by the pressure of the enormous mass of lava in 

 Kilauea, have taken place, the surface of the lava in 

 the basin sinks to a lower level. ( 513 ) 



Of the other two high mountains in Hawaii, Mouna 

 Kea and Mouna Hualalai, the first is, according to 

 Captain Wilkes, 192 feet higher than Mouna Loa: it is 

 a mountain cone whose summit no longer presents 



