| Eruption of Mauna Loa and Kilauea. 107 
cerning that side of the island, which I take the liberty to 
scribe. 
“For the last 36 hours, our house and all about us have 
been trembling, shaking and heaving, as if the very founda- 
tions were giving way. For ten hours there was a succession 
of shakes at intervals of from two to five minutes—vibrations, 
roaring and hissing, continuing most of the time, from one 
shock to another. ; 
“Yesterday, during the heaving of the earth, four avalanches 
fell from the Kaanaloa precipice into the bay. 
“Friday morning (27th), between 5 and 6 o’clock, we dis- 
covered the great mountain to be on fire, with immense col- 
umns and pillars of smoke; but as yet we are ignorant as to 
the course of the stream. 
“Tuesday, April ist. The shaking of the hill still con- 
tinues. We have not undressed for sleeping since Friday 
ag . 
night the throbbing and quaking were nearly continuous. No 
one attempted to count the sudden jars and prolonged throes, 
so rapid was their succession. And even during the intervals 
to quiver like the surface of a boiling pot. The quaking was 
most fearful in Kau, and anxiety marked all thoughtful minds. 
The truth was, all the fires of the mountain and of Kilauea 
were sunk in subterranean caverns and chambers, and were 
struggling to force their way down to the ocean, The sea of 
lavas must have been enormous, and it was working, under- 
epee in numerous ducts, under a tract many miles broad. 
The shocks and quiverings continued with different degrees 0 
intensity until Thursday, the 2d inst. : 
It was now evident that Kilauea, and the mother mountain, 
were acting in concert. The fires in the former had be- 
come fearfully intense, shaking down avalanches of rocks from 
ne outer walls, cracking the earth and bursting into an extinct 
teral crater, called “Little Kilauea.” 
t4 p.m. on the 2d instant a shock occurred, which was 
absolutely terrific, All over Kau and Hilo, the earth was rent 
in a thousand places, opening cracks and fissures from an inch 
to many feet in width, throwing over stone-walls, 
