774 Traxsactions of tue A^rEEicAN Institute. 



feet and extended about half a mile from north to south. Yery hot 

 air rose from it. Around it, toward its northern extremity, the lava 

 is thrown up into an indescribable confusion ; pile upon pile of aa, 

 gorge and ridge by turns. 



The caving in of the floor seemed to be still in progression ; for twice 

 during our exploration of the crater our nerves were disturbed by a 

 prolonged heavy rumbling and rattling noise, as from a distant pla- 

 toon lire of musketry, coming from the northwest corner. 



******* 



Tlius fir as to what we have seen. Now allow me to relate what 

 I learned from Kaina, who has resided near the volcano without 

 interruption for the last five months, and whose strong nerves sus- 

 tained him during the fearful catastrophe introduced by the earth- 

 quake of April 2d. lie and the Chinaman who keeps the house were 

 the only persons who remained at Kilauea. He says for two months 

 preceding the first shock, viz., from January 20 to March 29, the 

 crater had been unusually active, eight lakes being in constant ebulli- 

 tion and frequently overflowing. During all this time (the date of 

 its first appearance could not be ascertained exactly) tliere was in the 

 northwest corner a " blow-hole," from which, at regular intervals of 

 a minute or less, with a roaring noise, large masses of vapor were 

 thrown off", as from a steam engine. This ceased about the ITth of 

 March. At the same time the activity of the lakes became greatly 

 increased, and Kaina anticipated mischief. March 27th the first shock 

 was perceived. Two days later Mr. Fornander found the bottom of 

 the crater overflowed with fresli lava and incandescent. 



Thursday, April 2d, at a few minutes past four p. m., the big earth- 

 quake occurred, which caused the ground around Kilauea to rock 

 like a ship at sea. At that moment there commenced fearful detona- 

 tions in the crater ; large quantities of lava were thrown up to a 

 great height ; portions of the wall tumbled in. This extraordinary 

 commotion, accompanied with unearthly noise and ceaseless swaying 

 of the ground, continued from that day till Sunday night, April 5th ; 

 but from the 1st the fire began to recede. On Thursday night it was 

 already confined to the regular lakes ; on Saturday night it only 

 remained in the great south lake, and on Sunday night there was 

 none at all, Pele had left Kilauea. The noises now became weaker 

 and were separated by longer intervals. By Tuesday quiet reigned 

 in Kilauea. On that afternoon the lava burst out at a distance of 

 forty miles southwest, in Kahuku. 



