MOKUAWEOWEO IN 1882.
Captain C. E. Dutton ascended Mauna Loa in 1882. First he visited the group of cones near Puu Ulaula, the sources of the later flows, 1855, 188o being among those which he identi fied. Each one is a true crater, composed of lapilli and ashes which were ejected when the several streams of lava poured out successively. None exceed one hundred and twenty feet in height. He justly represents the dominant idea of the area as immensity, whose best conception is attained by attempting to journey over it. Miles may be traversed and vet the same landmarks seem to stand just where they were an hour pre vious.
Because of the arrangement of the rough lavas one cannot well continue on from Puu Ulaula direct to the summit with animals, so the descent to Ainapo is necessary before attempt ing the summit. This he describes as a broad platform about four or five miles in extent, within which is sunken the caldera Mokuaweoweo. It is about a mile and a half from the shoul der of the mountain to the pit. The surface is more rugged than the slopes passed over. Cracks and piles of broken rocks (but no cinder cones) are everywhere apparent.
At the east edge of the pit the wall is about six hundred feet deep. The view is more impressive than that of Kilauea, be cause the depth is greater and the encircling walls are more precipitous and continuous. The floor is covered by the same
hummocks and broken crusts. In the central part there is a depression suggesting the lower pit of Kilauea and the sur rounding black-ledge. Captain Dutton had Lydgate's map of 1874 before him and seemed to consider the central area as the lower pit, one hundred and seventy-five to one hundred and eighty feet below the platforms both to the north and south.
There was no volcanic action whatever ; not even a wisp of steam could be detected issuing from any point. The lava lake had become as solid as the rocks of the walls. Still he does mention some heat rising from the numberless little cracks upon the floor, and an occasional whiff of sulphurous gas. Looking at the panorama outlined by W. H. Holmes from Dutton's photographs, Plate 18, one perceives that the main foreground is the southern platform (C of Alexander's map). Directly in front near the west wall is the "boundary cone" in front of gravelly fans that may represent eruptions from fissures. To the left there is the descent to the small southern crater. The main pit to the right appears much smaller than it is, because of its distance. Near the east wall is a small double cone. The edge of the northern platform is quite irreg ular, and in the far distance are the outlines of Mauna Kea.