328 HARRY O. WOOD 



Probably the outbreak was noticed by the writer almost as soon 

 as it occurred. The night was clear, except for a low bank of 

 clouds at the northeast. At 10:00 p.m. and earlier there was no 

 suggestion of illumination anywhere along the southern segment 

 of the mountain profile. At about 11:15 P - M - the writer went 

 from the Volcano House to the observatory to see that the seis- 

 mographs were in good working order before retiring (for, owing 

 to the frequency and energy of the shocks, there was likelihood of 

 the disarrangement of the struts and levers). The moon had just 

 risen, but it was still hidden behind the bank of clouds at the 

 northeast. However, a faint, diffuse moonlight spread over the 

 sky. Upon mounting the observatory porch a very faint light was 

 seen radiating from a point behind the mountain profile much lower 

 down the southern slope than the place of first outbreak. The 

 effect was similar to that sometimes produced here just as a planet 

 or a bright star drops below the mountain profile. After inspection 

 of the seismographs, however — perhaps three minutes later — this 

 radiating light had become more definite, although the illumination 

 of the sky by the moon had grown brighter. Almost at once it 

 took on a pinkish hue. Then the word was spread instantly. 

 Judging by the rapidity of its development in the first ten minutes 

 after it was discovered, the outbreak did not take place (or 

 more strictly, become visible from the observatory) earlier than 

 n :oo p.m., and probably not earlier than 11 : 10 p.m. Its discovery 

 was little later than its occurrence. 



During the ten or fifteen minutes after it was first seen the 

 light at the fountainhead grew rapidly, and a small diffuse cloud 

 of fumes appeared. This increased quickly also, and the glow 

 steadily grew brighter and more ruddy. Soon the fumes at the top 

 began to drift to the northwest up the mountain slope behind the 

 profile. At the same time the progressive extension of a faint 

 ruddy illumination down the slope behind the profile was detected. 

 Flow had begun. As soon as possible, at about 11:45 p - M -> the 

 director of the observatory, Professor T. A. Jaggar, Jr., and the 

 writer set out by motor and proceeded southwestward and west- 

 ward to a point near the boundary of the Kona district of Hawaii 

 beyond the western branch of the flow of 1907 — a distance of about 



