W. T. Brig ham — Recent Eruption of Kilauea. 509 



scribed figures not unlike an interrogation point ; the plane of 

 these figures was quaquaversal. 



There was remarkably little sulphurous vapor, and the 

 absence of steam would have puzzled those geologists who 

 impute to its agency the volcanic action. Outside of the 

 crater, however, steam was issuing in several places ; among 

 these, the top of the wall near the Kau trail ; the eastern wall 

 between the two lateral craters ; and the depressed wall be- 

 tween the main crater and Kilauea-iki. 



As we left the pools in the evening, it was noticed that a 

 cone some fifty yards west of the southern lake was sputter- 

 ing in a very excited manner, and at 2 o'clock the next morn- 

 ing we saw it from the house spouting lava to an estimated 

 height of twenty-five feet, while detached spatters were 

 thrown twice that height. At 8 o'clock, when we left the 

 crater, the fire fountain was still bright in the full morning 

 light. It seemed to flow as freely as an uncapped artesian 

 well. 



This was nearly the condition of the crater a week later, 

 when on March 6th, 189 1, at 9.30 P. M. a slight earthquake was 

 felt at the Volcano House, and the cones settled slightly. The 

 next morning the peaks were out of sight. At Punaluu 

 stronger earthquakes were felt, and at the Half Way House, 

 the ground was in a continual tremor for some time ; 300 

 shocks were counted in one night, but no accurate record was 

 kept. 



On the 2d of April, at your request, I visited the crater 

 again and found the following condition of things. From the 

 house the absence of two landmarks, — the peaks and the 

 column of smoke, was at once noticed, and as night fell the 

 accustomed look toward Halemaumau met not the slightest 

 glimmer of light ; all was as cold and dead as the grand old 

 dome of Mauna Loa ten thousand feet above it. 



The next morning the yawning pit was clear cut as seen 

 from the house, and only a pale bluish smoke arose from its 

 lips. Beyond, to the southward, was a white smoke that rose 

 and fell, but was not of considerable extent. On descending 

 into the crater the crack was found unchanged. Many smaller 

 cracks intersected the trail, especially towards the middle of 

 the crater, but the condition of the stone monuments on the 

 Rock called the " Half Way House " showed conclusively that 

 there had been very little disturbance in the crater itself : not 

 one of the stone piles had been upset. The lava flow noticed 

 on the previous visit was still warm, and on the borders of the 

 depression was red hot. The entire fire area was gone. Peaks, 

 cones and pools had vanished, and in their place was a pit 



Am. Jour. Sci. — Third Series, Yol. XLI, No. 246. — June, 1891. 

 34 



