Eruption of Mauna Loa, Hawaii. 411 
had-long so remained. The account of boiling fires in the pit at 
the summit, brought down by the unfortunate Douglas in the 
year 1884 was disbelieved, because of the accustomed quiet of 
the crater, in addition to some evident exaggerations in his de- 
scription and the absence of any manifestations of fires distin- 
guishable from the foot of the mountain. 
Kilauea discharged its lavas through the sides of the mountain 
in 1828, June 1832, and June 1840. The lower pit, which was 
400 feet deep after the eruption of 1840, had filled up again by 
1848, and the bottom had become raised by the overflows of the 
pool even above the level of the old black ledge. In the course 
of these changes a broad dome was raised over the site of the 
great lake of boiling lavas in the southwestern extremity of the 
crater; in a basin at the centre of the dome the lavas were still 
smoking, and boiling or subsiding with its varying phases, 
even years have since ed, and Kilauea has had no new 
eruption, Mr. Coan in his recent letter (Feb. 8, 1859,) observes: 
“Iwas at Kilauea last August. No striking changes have 
cccurred there for three years. The great lake now some 500 
Saw it throw up jets of fire 100 feet high.” ; 
After the last eruption of Kilauea, the action of the central 
] 
No.1 
a eruption (No, 2,) took place, making its first appearance 
e 
jriuding course for about 40 miles. eget oo at i 
. ‘ruption (No. 3 on the map) took place, i 
height of about 12000 feet, according to Mr. Coan, and continu- 
* This word foot i to convey a reat 
se reo sed aah erat Fae eto 
begat miles. By laying of an equilateral triangle having ten will be obtained, 
lt nding a little t sa. 2:9 rther 2 nd 
Proved by extending the east a ee a | 
Aang gradually'to one degree, The erater Kilauea is but 970 fest above 
“4 although 18 to 30 miles from the coast 
