122 HAWAII. [letter xn. 



eruption ran fifty miles to the sea in eight days, but the flow 

 lasted much longer, and added a new promontory to Hawaii. 



These magnificent overflows, however threatening, had done 

 little damage to cultivated regions, and none to human life ; 

 and people began to think that the volcano was reformed. 

 But in 1868 terrors occurred which are without precedent in 

 island history. While Mrs. L. was giving me the narrative in 

 her graphic but simple way, and the sweet wind rustled through 

 the palms, and brought the rich scent of the ginger plant into 

 the shaded room, she seemed to be telling me a tale of another 

 world. On March 27, five years ago, a series of earthquakes 

 began, and became more startling from day to day; until their 

 succession became so rapid that " the island quivered like the 

 lid of a boiling pot nearly all the time between the heavier 

 shocks. The trembling was like that of a ship struck by a 

 heavy wave." Then the terminal crater of Mauna Loa (Mo- 

 kuaweoweo) sent up columns of smoke, steam, and red light, 

 and it was shortly seen that the southern slope of its dome had 

 been rent, and that four separate rivers of molten stone were 

 pouring out of as many rents, and were flowing down the 

 mountain sides in diverging lines. Suddenly the rivers were 

 arrested, and the blue mountain dome appeared against the 

 still, blue sky without an indication of fire, steam, or smoke. 

 Hilo was much agitated by the sudden lull. No one was 

 deceived into security, for it was certain that the fires must 

 make themselves felt. 



The earthquakes became nearly continuous ; scarcely an 

 appreciable interval occurred between them ; " the throbbing, 

 jerking, and quivering motions grew more positive, intense, 

 and sharp ; they were vertical, rotary, lateral, and undu- 

 lating," producing nausea, vertigo, and vomiting. Late in the 

 afternoon of a lovely day, April 2, the climax came. " The 

 crust of the earth rose and sank like the sea in a storm." 

 Rocks were rent, mountains fell, buildings and their contents 

 were shattered, trees swayed like reeds, animals were scared, 

 and ran about demented; men thought the judgment had 

 come. The earth opened in thousands of places, the roads in 

 Hilo cracked open, horses and their riders, and people afoot 

 were thrown violently to the ground ; " it seemed as if the 

 rocky ribs of the mountains, and the granite walls and pillars 

 of the earth were breaking up." At Kilauea the shocks were 

 as frequent as the ticking of a watch. In Kau, south of Hilo, 

 they counted 300 shocks on that direful day ; and Mrs. L.'s 



