KILAUEA, HAWATL 183 
sufficient to drown the ordinary tone of conversation. While the lavas 
had so far subsided in the great cauldron, Judd’s Lake was overflowing 
its banks. He observed, that during the month preceding, the whole 
bottom of the crater had been overflowed, rendering the surface more 
even and the travelling easier, and it appeared to him that the lower 
pit, in this period, had been raised at least fifty feet. ‘The sides of the 
large lake were now the highest part of the bottom. 
We follow these details by an account of the eruption which took 
place in June, 1840, six months before the visit of the squadron, 
prefacing it by a brief notice of other eruptions of previous dates. 
The facts will illustrate still farther the peculiar mode of action in 
Kilauea. 
Eruptions of Kilauea.—The first eruption of this crater of which 
tradition gives any definite knowledge, occurred about the year 1789, 
during the wars and conquests of Kamehameha. It took place 
between Kilauea and the sea in a southeasterly direction. It is said 
to have been accompanied by violent earthquakes and rendings of 
the earth ; and an eruption of cinders and stones from the open fis- 
sures. It was so violent and extensive that the heavens were com- 
pletely darkened; and one hundred lives are supposed to have been 
lost. ‘There are now over a large area near Kilauea, a few miles 
distant to the south and southeast, great quantities of a light pumice- 
like scoria, with stones and sand, which are believed to have been 
thrown out at this time.* 
* The following account of this eruption is from a *‘ History of the Sandwich Islands,” 
by Rev. I. Dibble, published at Lahainaluna (island of Maui) in 1843. It was taken by 
the author from the lips of those who were part of the company, and present in the 
scene. The army of Keoua, a Hawaiian chief, being pursued by Kamehameha, were at 
the time near Kilauea. For two preceding nights, there had been eruptions, with ejec- 
tions of stones and cinders. ‘ The army of Keoua set out on their way in three different 
companies. ‘The company in advance had not proceeded far before the ground began to 
shake and rock beneath their feet, and it became quite impossible to stand. Soon a dense 
cloud of darkness was seen to rise out of the crater, and, almost at the same instant, the 
thunder began to roar in the heavens, and the lightning to flash. It continued to ascend 
and spread around until the whole region was enveloped, and the light of day was entirely 
excluded. ‘The darkness was the more terrific, being made visible by an awful glare 
from streams of red and blue light, variously combined through the action of the fires of 
the pit and the flashes of lightning above. Soon followed an immense volume of sand 
and cinders, which were thrown to a great height, and came down in a destructive 
shower for many miles around. A few of the forward company were burned to death 
by the sand, and all of them experienced a suffocating sensation. ‘The rear company, 
