118 J. D. Dana on the Recent Eruption of Mauna Loa. 



you any adequate conception of its grandeur, A few figures 

 may assist your imagination in its attempts to paint the 

 scene. I made the following calculations, after careful ob- 

 servations during nearly twenty-four hours, from different 

 points within a mile of the crater, and, after deliberate dis- 

 cussion with Mr Kinney and companion, with different 

 objects around U3. Some of these calculations have been 

 confirmed by a somewhat accurate measurement by Mr 

 Lyman, of Hilo. 



The diameter of the crater, which has been entirely formed 

 by this eruption is about 1000 feet, its height from 100 to 

 150 feet. One part of the crater was raised 50 feet during 

 our presence on the spot. The height of the column of red- 

 hot liquid lava, constantly sustained above the crater, varies 

 from 200 to 700 feet, seldom falling below 300. Its diameter 

 is from 100 to 300 feet, and rarely perhaps reaching 400 

 feet. The motions of this immense jet of fire were beautiful 

 in the extreme, far surpassing all the possible beauties of 

 any water fountain which can be conceived ; constantly vary- 

 ing in form, in dimensions, in colour and intensity ; some- 

 times shooting up and tapering off like a symmetrical Gothic 

 spire, 700 feet high; then rising in one grand mass, 300 

 feet in diameter, and varied on the top and sides by points 

 and jets, like the ornaments of Gothic architecture. The 

 New Yorker, who, as he gazes on the beautiful spire of 

 Trinity Church, can imagine its dimensions increased three- 

 fold, and its substance converted into red-hot lava, m constant 

 agitation, may obtain a tolerable idea of one aspect of this 

 terrific fire fountain. But he should stand at the foot of the 

 Niagara Falls, or on the rocky shore of the Atlantic when 

 the sea is lashed by a tempest, in order to get the most 

 terrific element in this sublime composition of the Great 

 Artist. For you may easily conjecture that the dynamical 

 force necessary to raise 200,000 to 500,000 tons of lava at 

 once into the air would not be silent in its operation. 



The eruption of which I have written broke out on the 

 morning of the 18th February, at about 3 o'clock, and con- 

 tinued twenty days. The crater is situated on the base of 

 Mauna Loa, about 35 miles from Hilo, and 25 from the old 



