The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-09-26

ing at Echo lake, we reached a high
hin overlooking the Rotomahana era
teTs. Standing upon this lofty emil
nence, which may name here as
Mount Herald, one had splendid
view right down into the cratfrs,
many hurdreds OF feet below. The
denee volumes Of smoke-like steam
rising slowly. from hundreds OF differ
ent points, and merging INTO one
enormous cloud, formed a kaleido-
scopic picture Of indescribabls beauty.
Continuing our journey northward We
got into deep water course, the bsnl s
of which rise on either aide to betw
fifty and sixty feet. Getting down
this Ia'row channel, which in p'acls
made sheer descent o. from twelve
to twenty feet, was not a very aUreea-
Bile experience, as the Overlapping
masses of mud threatened to come
tumbling on the top OF us any mo-
ment. However, sliding, dropping,
leapiDg and scrambling, We succeeded
in getting out Of it safely. 1t led
us into
AN ENORMOUS AMPHITHEATRR
which has been blown out of the slop-
ing ridges which formerly ran down
to the margin OF Rotoma hn lake. The
wall like back OF this amphitheater is
formed with marvellous regularity.
This great area is filed with large
powders ana tremendous masses Of
rock. In the center, bissing out f'om
pile OF broken JOCK, is a stream OF
b bling water, which rushes with great
velocity over the agments OF tIachyte
which lie in its course, tlntirg them q
rich, brilliant red, and winds along the
arena and pours into one OF the cTaters,
where il is evsporSted. Crossing this
veritable Waiwera river, which is
about twelve fee wide, required crest
eau ion to svo,d getting scalded. We
next crossed the Red river, stream
OF cold water highly impregnated with
iron ard tiDged the color of blood, and
pitcht d our tent on a mud ledge on
the banks cf what we named the Acio
river. The water was tepid and bad
an alum tssse, and, As we discovered
later on, gives off sUfoCating gases.
We were able to procure some fire.
wood, and after some difficulty sue
ceeded in facing cold water the C 'lor
OF mud around us. We had tea, and
when it grew dark we turned in for the
night. None OF us slept very soundly.
The tent got filed with the fumes
from the river, wbic1 caused sitting
sensation. The craters close to us
kept warning necessarily, and the
spring which ftd our Acid river
worked itself up now and then into
an alarming ats Of activity, threaten.
| ing to send the stone which blocked
its vent flying around. To increase
our uness ness we could hear the mud
bank. on the side falling with q loud
splash into the river at intervals.
During the pight it was cold, and our
bed of mud was painfully hard. Soon
| sitter daylight we we're up, and as we
7 had slept in our clothes some of US
| in our hats and mittens our dressing
did not occupy much time. Alter
breakfast Mr.. Smith and myself, &C
companied by Harry Lundius, started
| to ascend
TARAwKRA.
The sides OF the mountain we're COW
cred with fine fcoris ash, az hard as
rock, rendering it difficult to obtain q
footing. When near the top Of the
mountain we came across q frozen
lake, and in the creviCes there were
snow and ice. The top Of the noun
tain is beautifully colored by the
fumts from he STAINING holes which
lire the edge of the fssure. The de-
post on top is quite 500 feet in places.
Standing on the edge Of the assure we
could look down into the ciaters,
which are now quie,cent. They are
divided from one another by
narrow ridges. Great cracks run
along the edge in some places,
threatening a tremendous landslip.
Gigant powders lie on the top and
In all directions, having been thrown
out of the era ere, and, looking at
| these en- rmDus masses, some idea can
be 70 med Of the tremendous force
which must have been at work to
throw them up from depth of 700
feet. The descent was accomplished
in safety. On the wsy down we wit
messed a fresh eruption between TIE
Hape Toros and Komiti. This new
volcano was ejectirg stones and mud
to a great hight, and emitting large
clond of steam. Previously there was
a small tepid lake here, which locked
innocent enough, and no one would
have supposed it likely to be the seat
OF a fresh outbreak At the foot of
Tarawers, in the line OF the chasm, a
beautiful green lake has been found.
We reached our tent on the Acid
river, and as the weather looked
threatening, we therefore packed up,
and each with hugs swsg on his
back started for Psreheru, which we
reached at dark and just as the rain
BEGAN 10 come down in torrents.