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Hawaii lies far enough away to reveal its entire outline, with Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea rising near either end, and the depression near which lies Kilauea in the middle. The cloud effects at sunrise and sunset are marvelous, and alone repay the ascent. But the crater itself, clear of fog and clouds in the early morning, and lighted up by the rising sun, is a most surprising sight.
Thrum, in a pamphlet on "The Suspended Activity of Kilauea," says of it: "Distant rumbling noises were heard, accompanied by a series of earthquakes, forty-three in number. With the fourth shock the brilliancy of New Lake disappeared, and towards 3 A. M. the fires in Halemaumau disappeared also, leaving the whole crater in darkness.
The six inhabited islands of the group are Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Maui, and Hawaii, the last containing the largest active volcano of which we have any knowledge; namely, that of Kilauea, to visit which persons cross the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and also the American continent, between the two.
The tone is so cheerful, courteous, and friendly, and people speak without introductions, and help to make the time pass pleasantly to each other. The Kilauea is not a fast propeller, and as she lurched very much in crossing the channel most of the passengers were sea-sick, a casualty which did not impair their cheerfulness and good humour.
The heat was very great; but we found a red berry growing on a low bush, which was very refreshing. At length, after some hours of toil, we found ourselves standing on the summit of a cliff, while below us appeared a vast plain full of conical hills, and in the centre of it a mass of liquid lava like a wide lake of fire. It was what we had come to see the crater of Kilauea.
It is called sometimes Kirauea, sometimes Kilauea; for the natives seem not very particular about the pronunciation of their l and their r; but where one uses l another as pertinaciously employs r, while a third set use a sound between the two, as you may have heard some people do at home.
It may be a volcanic eruption, or a lake of fire such as the crater of Kilauea. Really, I can't say. Let me see if I can identify the bright lines of the spectrum." I yielded the spectroscope to him, and scarcely had he looked into it ere he cried out "By all that's wonderful, the spectrum has changed. Eureka! It's thallium now. I should know that splendid green line amongst a thousand."
Only a Pompeii and a Herculaneum were needed at the foot of Kilauea to make the story of the irruption immortal. We were more than a week making the trip, because our Kanaka horses would not go by a house or a hut without stopping whip and spur could not alter their minds about it, and so we finally found that it economized time to let them have their way.
Kauai is much out of the island world, owing to the infrequent visits of the Kilauea, but really it is only twelve hours by steam from the capital. Strangers visit it seldom, as it has no active volcano like Hawaii, or colossal crater like Maui, or anything sensational of any kind. It is called the "Garden Island," and has no great wastes of black lava and red ash like its neighbours.
There is no steamer from Hilo for three weeks, and in the meantime Mr. and Mrs. S. have kindly consented to receive me as a boarder; and I find the people, scenery, and life so charming, that I only regret my detention on Mrs. Dexter's account. I am already rested from the great volcano trip. We left Kilauea at seven in the morning of the 1st Feb. in a pouring rain.
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