32 J. D. Dana — History of the Mt. Loa Summit Crater. 



On the night of the 16th, with the sudden increase in the 

 earthquakes, fires broke out at the summit near the small crater 

 south of the summit crater (Pohaku o Hanalei, plate 1), and 

 in a few hours disappeared. The height of the outbreak, ac- 

 cording to Mr. E. P. Baker, was 11,500 feet. On the 18th, at 

 7 a. M., three hours after the cessation of the earthquakes, an 

 outbreak took place in Kau, north of Kahuku. The lavas 

 came from a fissure about 6,500 feet above the sea-level and 

 26 miles from the sea, and reached the sea at noon on the 19th, 

 nearly four miles west of the flow of 1868. It extended the 

 shore outward 300 to 500 feet without making a cinder cone 

 on the sea-border. By noon of the 24th the flow had stopped, 

 but the fires were still active along the stream. 



At the outburst the lavas were thrown up into fountains ; 

 about 80 feet in diameter, and 80 to 100 in height. They were 

 photographed ; and two of the views, representing the same 

 part -of the stream and one fountain, are shown on plate III. 

 Mr. Spencer, who visited the source on the 20th, states that 

 there were fifteen fountains and'that the highest was 200 feet ; 

 others make the height not over half this amount. The stream 

 is stated to have flowed away bearing bowlders weighing tons, 

 with explosions at intervals. The lava was mostly of the aa 

 kind. 



The earthquake in Kau threw down walls that had a north- 

 east and southwest direction, the throw was to the southeast ; 

 and light wooden houses were moved 8 or 10 inches in the 

 same direction or down the slope. 



On February 20th, Mr. D. W. Hitchcock was at the summit 

 and found vapors issuing from large fissures. 



Kilauea was moderately active during the period of eruption, 

 rather increasing in activity with its progress, but without 

 evincing special disturbance or sympathy.* 



1887, December 29. — A letter from Mr. J. S. Emerson, dated 

 Kohala, Hawaii, December 29th, states that the view of the 

 summit of Loa from that place indicates activity in Mt. Loa. 

 u Volumes of smoke and steam have been pouring out of the 

 summit crater, but no glow or reflection of fire has been ob- 

 served." u The summit is now heavily coated with snow." 

 Another letter of April states that on March 29th, 1888, 

 the signs of activity at the sumr had disappeared ; the 

 exact time of their cessation was prJoably early in February." 



[To be continued.] 



* The above is from the Pacific Commercial Advertiser and Hawaiian Gazette 

 of Honolulu ; this Journal, xxxiii, 310, 1887. 



