ar 
~-you look, as into T'artarns, and see, and hear and feel the 108s- 
100 T’. Coan on Kilauea. 
this peaceful valley. I venture to say, that the Otozoum and 
Gigandipus were as wonderful creatures as ever walked the 
earth or swam in the water. No species have been dng from the 
rocks of the eastern world more gigantic aud anomalous than — 
these. 
Art. — —On Kilauea; by Rev. Trrus Coan, (froma letter 
o J. D. Dana, dated Hilo, Hawaii, July 18, 1855.) 
You are aware that no eruption has occurred at Kilauea since. 
1840, except such as have been confined within its‘own mural | 
walls; that the whole central area of the crater floor has been 
elevated some 600 feet, raed a broad and high table land, 
terminating on the east side in a long and lofty ridge of debris, 
so abrupt and toppling as to defy the ascent of man; but at 
many points on the other sides accessible by an inclined plane. 
The distance from this great central platform to the outer or main 
walls of the crater may average half a mile, and this surrounding 
zone or belt, is where the old “ black ledge” used to be ; but it 
is now lower by 200 feet, than some points in the central plat- 
form. At the southern verge of this elevated region, separated, 
by a broken and aneiipt depression, stands the great dome over 
the fiery abyss, called “ Halemaumau.” The elevation of this 
dome is equal to that of the great table rock just described ; and 
on its summit opens a valve 200 feet in diameter down which 
ings and ‘the ragings of the burning ‘oul. On the western side of 
this immense dome a fissure has been opened, and near its base 
“smoke, and fire, and brimstone.” You are aware that for mat 
years past, up to 1855, the crater has been unusually dull ; 
much so, that many believed this great forge would never 
into blast again. But this was a mistake. For months past this 
awful furnace has been br ightening, and glowing, and raging, 
and roaring with fearful intensity. The action, however, is a 
confined to the great dome and the girdle between the central ta- 
ble and the outer walls; while the elevated interior is unaffected, | 
and even begins to produce: uce plants and Ohelo berries. But it is 
surrounded by the burning streams of Phlegethon, and stands 
a burnt island ina sea of “fire. ~The great dome is thundering 
and throwing up columns of dashing fusion from its — throat 
to a height ‘of 200 feet, while its walls tremble at the fury of 
