J. S. Emerson — ISome Characteristics of Kaii. 435 



joining Manna Kea and Manna Loa, the same as the line of 

 the axis of Mokuaweoweo produced. The flows of 1868 and 

 of 1887 seem to have escaped from the central shaft throngh 

 this lateral rift in the monntain, and to have come to the sur- 

 face at points on this line of least resistance. It is an axis of 

 great volcanic activity, which has built up for itself the 

 immense ridge of Manna Loa which divides the oncological 

 district of Kau from that of Kona. About Pun o Keokeo as 

 a center there is a large area cevered \vith pumice and gravel, 

 quite similar to the so called Kau Desert, southwest of Kilauea. 

 Manifestly it has been produced by explosive eruptions on a 

 large scale. But as in the case of the vicinity of Kilauea, so 

 here the peculiar Kau dust is altogether wanting. Further 

 there is no sign of any such dust deposit at any distance, on 

 the Kona side, of this area covered with pumice, while the 

 entire portion of Kau covered with dust is at a distance of 

 many miles in the opposite direction. 



The conclusion seems forced upon us that we must look for 

 the origin of this great eruption within the limits of the dis- 

 trict covered by it. With this idea guiding us, we naturally 

 look first to the immediate vicinity of the hills already men- 

 tioned, where the peculiar Kau soil attains its maximum depth. 

 One cannot but be struck with the suo-o-estion that Puu Iki 

 marks a point on the upper rim of a vast extinct crater extend- 

 ing south to Kaiholena, possibly even to the great whaleback 

 ridge on which Kapuna Trig. Station is situated, while the 

 eastern rim, now largely washed away, would be marked by the 

 hills Makanao, Puu Eiuihe and Kaumaikeohu with the steep 

 side hill just to the east of it. Everything seems to point to 

 this locality as the source of the stupendous explosion, or series 

 of explosions, wdiich has rescued Kau from being a waste of 

 unproductive rock and transformed it to so large an extent into 

 a land of pastures and plantations. 



rf we admit that this is indeed the source of these eruptions, 

 the whole problem of the distribution of the dust is greatly 

 simplified. As would naturally be expected, the ejected matter 

 lias been deposited on all sides, but the action of the trade 

 wind has carried the finer particles to a much greater distance 

 to the south and southwest than in the opposite direction. So 

 that we find the country about South Cape covered to a depth 

 of ten feet, as before stated, with the finest dust, without any 

 admixture of coarse material The whole district west of 

 Kaaluala landing has been tilted up on its western edge, along 

 the line of the great fissure already alluded to, forming an 

 extensive fault from the sea to the Government road just above 

 Col. Norris' residence. The visible deposit of dust breaks off 

 abruptly at the edge of this precipice. But according to native 



