--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Smith, E. Wesley collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 12 number: 5 published: 1909-03 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Smith, E. Wesley, "Visit to and Legend of the Volcano Kilauea," *Improvement Era* 12, no. 5 (March 1909): 361–370.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1205unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera1205unse start_page: 361 end_page: 370 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1909-03) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1205unse publication_year: 1909 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1909, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Visit to and Legend of the Volcano Kilauea VISIT TO AND LEGEND OF THE VOLCANO KILAUEA. BY ELDER E. WESLEY SMITH. During the Christmas holidays, A. A. Eliason and Gordon T. Hyde, of the West Maui conference, and W. Laroy Farr and Kenneth Henrie, of the South Hawaii conference, were given permission to come to Hilo city, by the mission president, Elder Samuel E. Woolley. While here it was my privilege, in company with them and companions, Marvin E. Pack , Jr. , J . Claude Knell and Samuel W. Clark, to view one of the seven wonders of the world, ''The active volcano of Kilauea." Thinking a brief description of our trip, and what we saw while there, might perhaps be of interest to some of the Era readers, I feel it a great privilege, also a duty, to be able to comply with the request made by the Era, some few months ago, for missionaries laboring in the field to contribute to its columns, by sending a short synopsis of our trip and an account of the ancient ' 'Meles of Pele" together with a few pictures. The Volcano House. 86a IMPROVEMENT ERA. Hilo city is located on the east side of the island of Hawaii, and is the second largest city in the Hawaiian group. It has a population of thirteen thousand, and is a very beautiful seaport town, with a well formed bay. I'pon arriving in fight of Hilo, one is entranced by its grandeur. The coast line is very precipitous; the walls standing out with great boldness, from one hundred to one thousand feet in height. These cliffs are covered with a dense growth of tropical plants, such as vines, ferns, wild Standing— Gordon T. Hyde, A. A. Eliason. J Claude Knell, W. Larr,y Farr. Sitting— Samuel W. Clark, E Wesley Smith, Marvin E. Pack, Jr., Kenneth Henrie. bananas, the lauhala tree, etc., with here and there a beautiful waterfall leaping through the air with much ease and grace, to be caught up by the strong trade- winds and carried off into spray. Below this grand view can be seen the beautiful deep-blue ocean, which rolls and dashes into the shore with much force, sending the white foam several yards into the air. We boarded the railroad train and rode a distance of twentytwo miles inland from this picture of Mother Nature's grand work, passing through one of the largest sugar cane fields VISIT TO AND LEGEND OF THE VOLCANO KILAUEA. 363 on the Hawaiian islands. It extends three to four miles inland from the sea, and there meets with the dense forest belt; it also extends along the shore as far as the eye can see. Mouna Kea and Mauna Loa, two of the highest mountains on these islands, rise some thirteen thousand nine-hundred feet above this dense tropical growth. Mauna Kea, which is the highest, wears a cap of snow nearly the year round and presents a most beautiful view, dressed in its robe of green and white. Mauna The Volcano Road. Loa is the home of the goddess, "Madam Pele." One is almost able to picture himself in the fertile valleys of dear old Utah, when looking at the gray head of Mauna Kea. Arriving at Glenwood, the twenty-two mile station, we left the train and walked the remaining distance of nine miles to the volcano house, which is located on the brink of the great crater. The road along which we walked runs through the great ' 'Ohia" forest, with its grand scenery. Great, tall trees, arise on each side of the roid, interlaced with vines rich with clustering crimson flowers. High on the moldering limbs of the oldest trees, grow 864 IMPROVEMENT ERA. the bright green, clustering leaves of the bird's-nest fern, treeferns from five to thirty feet high; wild beiries and roses grow all along the way. The refreshing coolness of the woodland shade, the vivid beauties of the colors in which we bathed our eyes, the strange novelty and wildness of everything, completely intoxicated us. It was a scene of enchantment which we were sorry to leave when, about eleven o'clock, we emerged from the wood and found ourselves at the hotel, at an elevation of four thousand nine hundred feet above the sea level. The "Little Terror," within the Floor of Kilauea. After refreshing ourselves and making arrangements for rooms, etc., we got some lanterns and canteens of water and started to descend into the crater. On reaching the brink of the large crater we were almost overcome with wonder. There was an immense hole over nine miles in circumference and about a thousand feet deep, an enormous promontory covered with forest trees. Way below us was the floor of Kilauea which looked quite smooth and even. Steam and sulphur clouds arose from the fissures and crevices, and in the distance we could see the glare of VISIT 10 AND LEGEND OF THE VOLCANO K1LAUEA. 365 the fire, which came from the active pit of Halemaumau. We started down the narrow incline that wound in and out through the shrubbery and over precipices. After a most exciting trip, we found ourselves at the bottom. This broad floor, which from above had appeared so level and smooth, proved to be exceedingly rough, with broken lava, crossed in every direction by fissures, of which some were too wide to be jumped, some were filled with steam and sulphurous vapor, which told us we were on dangerous The Active Pit as Seen at Night Walls 220 Feet High. ground. We followed the small, narrow trail over this floor for three miles, visiting the following places of interest: "The Devil's Picture Frame," a place where molten lava flowed over an embankment about six feet high, in such a way that a number of picture like frames were made; "Madam Pele's Kitchen," a circular hole in the lava out of which a great amount of smoke and steam are constantly pouring; and the "Little Terror," an extinct blow-hole, named so, I suppose, from its appearance. Coming up to the edge of the active pit, a most beautiful sight met our eyes. Here was a big hole two hundred and twenty 36(5 IMPROVEMENT ERA. feet deep, covering an area of twenty-five acres; in the bottom of this abyss was a lake of fire. This was a circular pool, covering an area of four acres. Its whole mass was in motion, furiously bubbling, boiling and dashing up waves of red-hot foam and spray. Sometimes there would be a partial calm, as of the sea after a storm; a considerable portion of the surface would then cool over with smooth, hard lava or pahoehoe but in a few minutes there would be a violent outbreak, and the broad field would split open across its whole extent, allowing the melted rock to ooze through the crevices, like water coming up over the ice on a river, during a spring freshet. Huge, flat cakes of solid lava would tilt up on end, slowly turn over, and finally disappear in a tremendous whirlpool of fiery surf thrown up from below. This exhibition was being continually renewed all over the lake; we stood chained to the spot, and lost in admiration of the awful spectacle. The heat and fumes were so strong, we were forced to retreat to a place deemed a safer point of observation; and there we remained, watching the jets of molten metal as they flew into the air. chasing one another like genuine fire-fiends, in a wild dance all over the glowing space. As night came on, this molten mass grew brighter, and the coloring was most beautiful. We remained here until ten o'clock, when we forced ourselves to leave this wondrous work of Mother Nature. Lighting our lanterns, we gathered up our specimens obtained during the day, and began to retrace our steps over the brittle lava towards the ascent out of the pit. Having climbed the narrow trail, we went to the hotel, a very tired band of young men, ready to turn in for a good night's rest, and to dream of the wonders of the day. The following morning we made a last survey of the beautiful surroundings, and feeling well repaid for our trip, returned to Hilo. THE LEGEND OF THE VOLCANO KILAUEA, 1175-1380 A. D. The deity most feared and respected on the island of Hawaii, the largest and most southern island of the group, was the Goddess Pele. Her favorite abode was supposed to be in the crater of the volcano Kilauea, near Mount Loa (Mauna Loa). She was said to have five brothers and eight sisters, all as cruel as herself. One brother was the king of steam. The others created explosions, VISIT TO AND LEGEND OF THE VOLCANO K1LAUEA. 367 thunders and rains of fire. They moved the clouds, hurled redhot masses of lava, and managed the earthquakes. The following is a tradition handed down by the priests from one generation to another, and will show not only the terrible character and wonderful powers ascribed to this goddess, but also the strange events which led to the placing of this woman and her family among the gods of the Hawaiians. The tradition, which the islanders received without doubting its truth, states that about the year 1175, A. D., the Pele family came to Hawaii from one of the southern islands. The head of the family was the eldest son, Moho, and the party landed and located among the foot hills of the mountain called Mauna Loa. The mountain was nearly fourteen thousand feet high, and the crater of Kilauea, near its southeastern slope, was thirty miles from shore. From this crater lava had flowed down to the sea, and the volcano was sending out ashes and steam. There were earthquakes, and the frightened natives had deserted the valley. But the new-comers did not seem to fear any of these dangers. The natives, therefore, thought they must be under the special protection of the gods. Soon everything they did was regarded as supernatural. The Pele family became kahunas, or sorcerers, of a high order. With the family were a number of women, and about thirty attendants. Pele was the most audacious and bold of the whole company. She had f aught with her father in the wars at Samoa, when he was slain, and with her own hand, had killed a warrior who tried to carry her off as his captive. She was very beautiful. Her brothers were devoted to her, and her queenly presence — for she came of royal blood— commanded the respect and homage of all who approached her. The little colony quietly cultivated their lands and lived contentedly and without fear of molestation. After a time a roving chief with forty or fifty reckless companions landed on the coast near the Pele colony. The name of this chief was a word meaning Son of a Hog. (not always a term of reproach, the hog being a sacred animal) and he had become a terror to all the islands. His tattooed body and bristly hair gave his otherwise handsome person a ferocious and forbid. 368 IMPROVEMENT ERA. ding appearance, so that his presence on the coast was very unwelcome. He heard, however, the stories of the wonderful and superhuman powers of the Pele family, and of the enchanting beauty of Pele herself. He visited the settlement, was hospitably entertained, and when Pele appeared, he treated her with great respect and gallantry. He then determined to marry her. He did not realize how ugly he looked. He only thought of the beauty of Pele. But he did not urge suit at once. He tried to make himself agreeable to the princess, who did her best to avoid him. Finally he made a proposal of marriage. It was decidedly refused. He threatened to seize her by force and destroy the colony. She thereupon defied his power. Being now full of wrath, the adventurer waited several days for the moon to wane. Then, one dark night he and his companions secreted themselves near the scattered huts of the little colony, and at a given signal rose up and massacred every man within reach of their weapons. A few only escaped. The women who were spared ran screaming toward the house of Pele and her brothers, who were purposely saved for future treatment. It was the purpose of the reckless chief to surround the home of the surviving family the next day and capture Pele by force, or otherwise bring her and her haughty relatives to terms. Pele's brother, Moho, was wise enough to foresee the plan of the assassin and escaped with the family, and those who still survived, to a cavern in the hills which could easily be defended. The cave was of volcanic formation, with avenues leading back into and up the hill. Boulders of lava were rolled against the only entrance, from the inside. The party numbered in all seven men and eighteen women and children. They had weapons and plenty of provisions. A small stream of pure water trickled down from the rocks. Their enemy, the ruthless chief, Ramapuaa, soon discovered their retreat by following a dog the fugitives had left behind. A guard was set to watch the cavern. The chief approached the entrance and demanded a surrender, promising that the lives of all should be spared. The demand was refused with words of defiance, and in return a fierce assault was at once begun upon the VISIT TO AND LEGEND OF THE VOLCANO KILAUEA. 369 entrance. Several of the assailants were wounded by spears, thrust through the crevices of the rocks. Then the besiegers heaped wood and leaves before the opening, in order to suffocate those within. The draft through the cavern kept the inmates from harm, but the chief of the marauders approaching too near the entrance, received a sharp spear thrust in the arm. For several days the assailants worked to make a breach at the top of the cavern. A large hole had been dug. The excavation was approaching completion, and the captives seemed doomed. Suddenly the earth began to tremble violently, and in a few moments the air was filled with ashes and smoke. But the chief and his afrighted followers saw a still more appalling sight. As they looked up the valley, which was a narrow gorge above the cavern, they beheld coming down upon them, bursting from the hillside and pouring down the ravine, a flood of hot lava — a torrent of flame a hundred feet in width, its advancing crest aflame with burning timber, and sweeping before it an avalanche of stones. In dismay they fled down the valley. They ran past the deserted huts of their intended victims, past the foothills, past the cocoa trees that fringed the beach. Turning back their eyes, they beheld the awful stream of fire spreading its mantle of death over the valley and speeding towards the coast. .Leaping into their canoes, they plunged through the surf and swiftly paddled out to sea. Enraged at his escape, Pele ran some distance into the sea and hurled after him large stones, which hissed as they struck the waves. But the chief escaped and found his way back to the island of Oihu where he ended his days. As they lost sight of the coast, Pele disappeared, and they saw that the ravine where the cavern was situated was filled with lava, and that all within the cave were buried deep by the fiery flood. But the people did not believe that Pele and her family had perished. They declared that the eruption had been invoked by her to drive the ruthless invader from the district, and that, if she permitted her lands to be destroyed, it was only with the purpose in view of taking up her residence in the crater of the volcano. This idea became the general belief of the superstitious 370 IMPROVEMENT ERA. islanders, and in another generation temples were built to Pele, the Goddess of Fire, and priests were set apart to her service. The wily priests took advantage of the credulity and fears of the people, and created other terrible sisters, adding them to the original family of Pele. There have been many outbreaks of hot lava issuing from subterranean caverns and flowing down the side of Mouna Loa, within the past century. They have been witnessed by reliable white men, and records have been kept of their appearance. Scientific observations have determined their movements and the size of the streams. One of those who visited the scene of the flow of 1880 has described his first glimpse of a canopy of flaming light overhanging the summits of the mountain, and of a torrent of fire of intense brightness streaming down its slopes. A brilliant flame-head was seen against the starlit heavens, and the stream of liquid lava, three-fourths of a mile in width, rolled along, at white heat, for forty miles, accompanied by flashing gleams and detonations like the heavy reports of a hundred cannon. No wonder that the natives, with such legends concerning this terrible deity, were more afraid of her than of any other gods or goddesses. Hilo, Hawaii.