News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-08-12
THE GREAT UPHEAVAL.
FURTHER ACCOUNTS OF THE CON-
yULSION IN NEW ZEALAND.
Extent of the CaIamity-The Scene De-
scribed by an Eyewitness-Some Incl
dents.

| Extent of the Calamity-The Scene De-
scribed by an Eyewitness-Some Incl
dents.
The scene at the time of the eruption
in New Zealand, as it appeared to an
eye witness, is thus described IN the
Auckland Bell: cat about two o'clock
he was awakened by rumbling noise
like that of an earthquake. He went
outside the door, but could see nothing,
although it was a clear night. The
noise proceeded from Tarawera. He
looked around again and saw huge
mass of flame rise in the heavens, and
instantly lava and smoke covered the
| ground. Soon alter volume of flame
issued from Runanga, clio e to Tarawera.
Large balls of fire were thrown from the
gaping mouth toward Tauro, this ac-
companIed by terrible reports, which
shook the whole place. Forked light
ming followed close upon the balls OF
fire; it resemb ed the wnggling of
snakes; it returned to the crater, form
ing the letter " The roar was ire
menGous, resembling the heaviest thun-
der. AS each piece of hillside slipped
into the open basin large clouds of
|
to the heavens. The fall of earth into
| the open crater seemed to stop the fiery
balls from coming up, but forked light
ming still continued. Dense volumes of
smoke issued from the crater, going in
various directions. AS soon as Rua-
wilma stopped sending forth its terrible
| balls of flame, huge white cloud issued
| from the cap of Rotomahana, and heavy
| l. ell ,-11
umes of white compressed steam from
| Lake Rotomahana. 1t rose with terri
| BILE velocity, and seemed to be going to-
ward Okaro Lake. This lake is about
five miles from Lake Rotomahana, and
the appearance it presented at times was
something like huge boiling caidron,
bubbling in all directions. lightning
| then commenced to shoot out from
Mount Kararamea. From the whole
mount there came sheets of flame and
myriads of shooting stars like large
rockets. Shortly afterward shocks of
earthquakes were felt, accompanied by
a noise resembling minute guns, but
louder than the roar of the heaviest gun
known. There was an open crater on
Mount Kakaranga, and Immediately a
huge volume of dense black smoke is
sued from it, and the country all around
began to get dark. In half an hour it
was so black that no one could see their
hands in front of them. While this was
going on shower of pieces of lava the
size of peas came down with terrible
swiftness, and with such force as to be
almost as dangerous as bullets"
Mrs. Hazard, who was rescued from
one of the buried houses, made this
statement:
"My two daughters, Clara and Ina,
escaped into detached portion of the
house. While sitting in my chair, with
my three remaining children around
me, was pinned to the floor by the leg
through the roof falling in, and l be-
lieve that it was at that, time that my
husband was killed. had my youngest
child, Mona, a girl aged 4, in my arms,
boy aged 10, Adophus, on my right,
and a younger child, girl aged 6, on
my left. Mona, who was in my arms,
cried to me to give her more room, as
l was pressing her against the beam,
but the load of volcanic mud pouring
down on me prevented me from being
able to render any assistance, and the
child was crushed and Smothered in
my arms and died. Adolphus said to
me: Mamma, | will die with you,' and
l think he did shortly after as he did
not answer again. The little girl, l
think, died shortly after, as she said,
ooh, my headr as the mud was beating
down on her, and she spoke no more.
During my entombment | thought
search party would come to search the
room. l Cooed to the first people l
heard about the place. Mr.. Blythe and
others got me out on hearing my call,
after being ombed for several hours"
The following incidents of the con
vulsion are taken in part from the
Auckland Bell and in part from the Star
of that city:
The moaning and crying of the cattle
were something terrible, even when
daylight. appeared. The Maoris were
much frightened, and were found
crouching IN their whares when aroused
by the whites. The natives were of
opinion that the sky had fallen, and said
they had never known of anything like
this before.
The discovery of an old chief named
Tuotu Tonga, in the burned WHARF at
Wairoa. is a strong reflection on the
dilatoriness of the Government in adopt
The mud was heaped around the WHARF
and over the roof TO a height of over
four feet. He IS reputed to be over 100
years old. He is accused of causing the
death of child by bewitching him. The
destruction of Wairoa is also partly at
tributed to the old mans malevolence
When found he seemed perfectly con
tented with his condition, attic ugh
al al l. L.
mating had not made him specchless,
and he protested against being carried
out.
The story of the phantom canoe Is as
follows: TX days before the eruption,
some tourists slept at Wairoa with the
intention of crossing to see the terraces,
They stood in the early morning by the
lake shore when, suddenly, the water
rose and subsidized, then rose again. An
ancient Maori woman, who had lived
there sixty years, said she had never
seen such an occurrence before, and i'm
plored them not to 90 on the lake.
They persisted, however, and while
they were out on the still water an i'm
mense war canoe suddenly make its APP
pearance 1t was judged to be within
hailing distance, and again and again it
was hailed; although there were crowds
of natives on board, no notice was TAX
en-. The canoe continued for two miles
on its silent course, apparently racing
the tourists boat, when suddenly it dis
appeared. The Maoris in the tourists
boat declared that there was no such
war canoe on the whole lake, and they
called it a phantom or devil, and de.
clared that it pointed to evil times.
7 he only explanation that seems to be
possible is that it was a mirage of an
object on a distant sheet of water.
Mr.. Charles E. Furlong of New York
city had a narrow escape. He and the
unfortunate Mr.. Brainbridge, who lost
his life at Wairoa, had arranged to
travel together. The latter gentleman
called Mr.. Furlong, who was staying at
the Star Hotel, Auckland, and told him
it was time to get up, as there was only
half an hour in which to catch the
train. The morning being rainy, Mr..
Furlong declined to go.
Two ladies, Nine Steinhoff formerly
Of Dunedin, and Nine. Elise Schneider
of Wismar, Meaklenburg, Germany, ar
rived at ROtorua on the morning of the
eruption. On approaching that place
they met the inhabitants, men and
women flying in all directions through
the woods. They were not to be turned
from their object of visiting the wond-
erland, for, in spite of all protestations,
they went on their destination. They