J. D. Dana—History of the Changes in Kilauea, 445 
c. Progress in the filling of the lower pit.— As.early as February, 
1825, Mr. Goodrich stated, in view of the overflows he had ob- 
served, and the making of a “mound” over 60 feet high in six 
weeks, that the pit had begun to fill up (VIa@); and in his letter 
of October 25, 1828, (V1b) he made the pit to have diminished 
in depth since August, 1823, by 300 or 400 feet. A year later, 
Oct. 25, 1829, Mr. Stewart (VI) described the lavas as still 200 
feet below the level of the black ledge—which implies a filling - 
of 400 feet, if the depth in 1823 was 600 feet, and of 600 if 800 
feet deep. He states that although the crater was comparative- 
ly quiet, the bottom was crossed by a chain of lava-lakes, one 
of them a mile wide, throwing up masses of lava 15 to 20 feet; 
and that there were also six cones in action in the lower pit 
and one on the black ledge. Here again the height of the 
ejections mentioned is small. In October, 1880, the black ledge 
was still distinct (XIV, p. 387.) 
8. BEFORE THE ERUPTION OF 1832.—Before the eruption of 
1832, as Mr. Goodrich states, after a visit to Kilauea “about the 
1st of September” of that year (VId), ‘‘ the crater had been filled 
up to the black ledge and about fifty feet above, about 900 feet 
in the whole since I first visited it, and it had now again sunk 
down to nearly the same depth as at first (in 1823), leaving as 
usual a boiling caldron at the south end.” The precise time of 
the discharge and down-plunge is not stated. He adds, “‘ The 
earthquake of January last had rent in twain the walls of the 
crater on the east side, from the top to the bottom, producing 
seams from a few inches to several yards in width, from which 
the region around was deluged with lava.” ‘The chasms 
passed within a few yards of where Mr. Stewart, Lord Byron, 
myself and others had slept,” ‘so that the very spot where I 
have lain quietly many times is entirely overrun with lava.” 
(See map, p. 440). This outflow is stated by Mr. David 
Douglas (1X4) to have occurred in June, 1832. We may con- 
clude, therefore, that the time of eruption was probably in 
January, but perhaps in June of 1832; certainly before Sep- 
tember 1832, the time of Mr. Goodrich’s visit. 
4, AFTER THE ERUPTION.—a. Size of the crater after the erup- 
tion.—As to the new depth of the lower pit, we have first Mr. 
of the lake, with openings at the top from which jets of vapor and sometimes 
spouts of lava were thrown out. As many as fifty were seen at one time within 
the great lava lake then existing, and most of them were simultaneously active. 
The same phenomenon was described in 1825 by parties from H. B. M. frigate 
Blonde. They were also observed by Wilkes in 1841, and have frequently been 
seen within the last ten or fifteen years by many other visitors. They appear to 
have been composed of solidified but very hot lava. None of them were perma- 
nent, but after a short period of activity they were either melted down, or shifted 
their positions. Ultimately, no doubt, they were remelted. That they shifted 
their positions is fully attested by many observers. Most probably they were 
masses of solidified lava floating like bergs in the lake.” 
