The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-09-04
THE VOLCANOES IN NEW
ZEALAND,

ZEALAND.
The recent volcanic outburst and earth
quake in New Zealand will not take a
place among the historic catastrophes of
this nature by reason of its destruction
of life or of the results OF human indus
try. The number of lives lost was not
large, the habitations destroyed were
few, and the area blighted was small.
But no other volcanic action at least 10
other volcanic action within the period
covered by history ever presented 60
grand a spectacle or wrought the de-
struction of such unique natural curios-
tiles. The scene of disturbance is the
celebrated lake district of North Island,
and Lake Rotomahana, the center of the
disturbance, where the irreparable loss
of the White and Pink Terraces was
wrought, is about 100 miles southeast of
the city OF Auckland. This lake district
is an arc of about 120 miles north and
south by twenty miles east and west. Tt
is the scene, and its curiosities were the
creations, of former volcanic disturb
ances. Its mountains are volcanic cones;
everywhere there are boiling springs,
jets of steam, mud volcanoes and gey-
sers. This is the celebrated region where
the Maoris once cooked their captives
and yet cook their food in kettles made
by volcanic action and heated by sub
terranean fires. The latest, and to most
readers, perhaps, the most familiar de-
scription of this marvellous region is that
in Mr.. Froude's recently published vol
ume on Oceana. "Here," he wrote, "will
be the chief sanitary station of the future
for the South Sea English" and he might
have said one of the chief sanitary sta
lions of the world. The terraces, which
were unique curiosities, and it may be
said the most beautiful natural curios-
tiles on the globe, were situated one at
one end and the other at the other end Of
the small Lake Rotomahana.
They we're "crystal staircases," stain
less as ice, which spread out from the
highest points like fans, and widened at
the margin of the lake at the bottom to
width of 200 yards. Behind the SUBMITS
volumes of steam rose out of boiling
fountains, and from these the siliceous
streams had flowed for ages and made
the beautiful staircases down which
they ran and to which they continued to
add. The height Of each Of these steps
or terraces was six or seven feet. The
silica had crystalIized with perfect even
ness. The water cooled as it flowed
down, and succession OF baths, every
one warmer than the preceding, can be
enjoyed during the ascent. The White
Terrace was nearly the color (or color
lessness) of ice, and the Pink Terrace Of
a pale rose color, caused, it is said, by
the oxide of iron. At the foot of every
cascade of this terrace the water lay in
pools Of ultramarine. The hue OF this
water" wrote Mr.. Froude, "was some
thing which I had never seen, and shall
never see again this side Of eternity. Not
the violet nor the harebell, nearest in its
tint to heaven of all natures flowers, not
turquoise, not sapphire, not the unfath-
ENABLE ether itself, could convey to one
who has not looked on it sense of that
supernatural loneliness" Domett, the
poet, has but literally described the
White Terrace in the following lines
For, as they gain rugged road,
And cautious climb the solid rime,
Each step becomes terrace broad,
Each terrace wide basin brimmed
With water, brilliant yet in hue,
The tenderest delicate harebel blue
Deepening to violet!
"Upwelling ever, amethystal,
Ebullient comes the bubbling crystal,
Still, growing cooler and more cool
AS down the porcelain stairway slips
The fluid flint. and slowly drips,
And hangs each basins curling lips
With crusted fringe each year increases"
Hampers Weekly.