New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-18
THE PUIA.

80 ',iou4 lhc ranks OF the NalkatO, the NoIlii
,?it'lu o. Ncw-Iealand. II so CHANGED that had
,iuucn forward Il little ahead of the wagon ana
| 49,. Ichalhder OF the party, and refining my morse
| LpJTn ule summit of ridge of wooded 1uhd,
! scene
g.. The valley slopcd on all sides downward to
oIIc' which had been deposited III the lapse oil
/ SbtS ny Inc waters of Il score OF more Of giant
!puH'"IAs, which at intervals along the terraces
inicW up their sparkling waters in the sun. These
"uiiAI6 EPNsfrS-Or, the natives call them,
pulaS-"ert the first in my experience. and the
.cau.| oil Inc sight was of kind which could
never nave imagined. Vast, vet fairy-kc, these
fountains OIL the Iitans rose in throngS Impossible
10 count, because their number every instant
varied; even rs the eye rested upon one, the Jet
N"u,d sllh mo It's crater. While III a spot mo-
ho"t before vacant duOther fountain was 10 %
seen dancing IN midair From the crest of cacn
CLOUD OF white steam iloatcd slowly OIL on the still
ar Inc steam Was white, but the water oil the
| aponuhg columns was Of the deepest sapphire,
"I1ch became a palcr and yet palcr azure As IL
| CnScadcd down the terraces and howcd into the
thke, over whose heated surface hung a vel oi
~ The caravan came up. with my companions.
! lhcy shared my admiration to the full but. UNI
Ike myself, they were contented with distant
view. We had had Il firing march since day
break, ana not man Of tllem would volunteer
10 JON me III climb into the valley In order to
inspect thG pulas near at hand. On thlS, now
ever, had SET my mind. We were 10 halt some
hours upon the spot for rest and dinner, as wei
as Tor some slight matters Of repair about the
wagon. Accordingly, when the horses had been
unbridlcd and turned loose Ia Craze and while
our native guides were busy splitting wood 10
build fire. cutting rashcrs from a side of bacon
and bringing out the kettle and the Eridiron, |
started OF alone into the valley.
Tie distance 10 the nearest puia was not over
half Il mile; but the descent at first was steep
and rugged. and made my way but slowly. Us
soon. however, as | reached thr highest of the
terraces The nature of the ground completely
changed. II was now crisp. baked surface,
full Of cracks and assures, from many OF which
sptted JETS OF steam. did not know the T'K
OF walking hecdicsNly upon this thin and lrcacher-
Gus crust which - liable Ut any moment 10 give
: WAY beneath the travellers foot and To let hlui
plunge beyond redemption into some horrible
abyss Luckily. however, though stepped with
out the slightest caution. reached The puia with
ont accident and stood beside It's spoutlhs
fountain.
Tie Jet. which was about yard in thickness
and some twenty feet IN height. rushed with
tremendous hiss. or rather roaring, from lts
crater Oh the summit OF slightly elevated mound,
exactly hkc miniature volcano down the sldrs
OF which ttc overlooking water poured IN torrents
10 the lower terraces, and thence into the lake.
| dipped my finger into the water, bat withdrew
| II with cry OF pain; II Was absolutely boiling
hot rs ] Glanced 10 stand t. Reward OF tho
fountain. tire cloud Of steam which dnited from
lis summit was above my head and kept me IN a
drzIhne shower Of rain. fell lively CURIOSITY
80 lOoN down into tie crater; hUt tins, while tn"
jet was sp'u'ina. Wac Of course Impossible. lhcic
was. however. NOT "a hundred yards away, another
puia which bad been playing is descended, bat
had now sunk under ground. To thl,. accord
lutlN, turned nay Steps, aud. os'"udin- Us low
The outside Of the mound ".' romp"ftil''lF
rull,d: but fhc interior wa> 49, smooth - pol
l,hci marble and u, white u.s. Shows sno~ ou
which t.c scttin- sun a' c'st rosy luNtm 81 l"'
most ethereal hinge. | have seen o." inside of
sc1-~lci look exactly Ike n, hut nothing Else
that can think CO.. In form tire crater Was
funnel of some utc auI t~crtt ward, diameter,
ritu sides which rill~I abruptly o. the centre.
where thc shaft. which mc',urci about iitc i'r'
across descended like we'll
$50 lar iy oh''r,. ''u lcG me- Then. with the
most startling slIdcnnc-r, my inspection WIS cut
Tie rareia of ttc crater where stood was
formed Of otcThan-r- ft, of silica, a' hrltti" a'
l'..~. ia,, ! dI not know H. and tonn Do"
iced. St"lriu~ forward - lo.@ down into tic
funnel threw al m} vs.. t.i with s'd.cnr.~s upon
orc foot the Iat ODD which rested hrok" oN 7.Ilt,
and my foot descended ou tEr slippery surface
of Tie crater staggered struggled -
/ regain my h.laurc-hut Iu vain. The very effort.
Ike a rcrlIue skaters. completed my disaster !
swung haliiouui. and fell inl-cnsth upon TIE
side Of tir incline.
Thcn fc't That ! ~. sndng-slo slowly ,hnt surely
/ sl.fn--do"u Tire shelving funnel toward Tie
month OF tnc abyss.
VIII 3D. cas- al terror threw ont mv arms in
| % convGis'tr search 81 something ~ arrest mN
progress: Iuf 90" projections 0i the margin were
already out Of reach. aud n} in-cf' "nlt slipped
upon the polished walls OF tie dcclvitv which
grow sleeper and sfr"ncr A- they approached re
chaSm. which uoe. like 70 INDUSTRIOUS Ilw. seemed
gaping 20 Ie,cite me-. \ moment NOR. AMI with
the horrible intestinal ~rus4' of falling from
Of Tie -lllf
t,,r no. iret,rf ia .vt re,- lfr Of horror folt
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, '.,,loI ,r-,i.,iI,. ttrn. h. cra..l .r a sl.,l,ly
.lcIl.u, n.or a. r,rt from. the c,,, II which
/ a l.rrr tunnel black ana ,f.cp .lfl, down into
fI. ,cr, lY...'. of tie earth Tl, l,~lrc or
t,.I,f, .,'... received me ii, fell and tL.. Dr.
tl. .n,....f fr..t az fortune il l.npcfcJ flat
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