Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-05-09

| even and we truly cuioygd the eating oil
| some bread cooked In this manner.
| While taking dinner with Erueru Wiki
| rIWhi, who together with his family are
l the only members Of the Church at
| Whakarcwatcwa. lie also acted as out
/ guide HIS wife is a daughter OF Sophia,
an intelligent woman who is well and
| popularity known b. tourists as a gu de.
| Ahtr cniJying bath IN one Of the
| tepid springs, Elder Liniotd aud ] re-
turned TO Ro,orua where we tried TO
hire a couple Of horses and ride to the
| site Of the once famous village Wairoa,
situated about ten miles away, across a
! range or several ranges OF mountains;
but the stable man assured as that Il was
too late in the day 10 start on so long q
journey as il would be impossible to get
there before dark. Now We were both
anxious to see the scene Of the terrible
eruption and earthquake Of ten years
ago. and our only cnancc perhaps IN q
lifetime was TO see Mount Tarawera that
afternoon, as we were compelled through
force Of circumstances T. return north
wardiIhe following day. IN order TO hll
other appointments, So ! told Elder
Linlord that ! could walk to Lake Tara
vera and back that night II he could
Without hesitation he expressed the
opinion that he could walk any distance
that would attempt to tramp. So,
after taking a good peep At the sun, ia
order 10 mark It's exact position and dis
lance from the western horizon, of We
STATED az 8 O'Clock p. m. Our road led
over mountains and through gorgcs,
over raynes and dugways, and through
forests and bush. We also passed two
good sE "a lakes, namely Tikinpu aud
RotokaEahi, in which the water was
nearly as white as milk, on account Of
the great quantity Of pumice stone which
was thrown into IL at the time OF the
eruption, At length We reached the
ruins Of Wairoa, which lie IN what was
once a beautiful but now dcsollte val.
ley through which the Wairoa river
courses its way from Lake Rotokakahi
to the celebrated Wairoa Falls, where
the stream takes leap over preciplce
about two hundred feet high into Lake
Tafawcm below The eruption OF
Mount Tanwcra, which took place June
10th, 1856 covered this valley with vol.
canic stones and ashes TO the depth Of
something like five feet on an average. II
destroyed everything; and one hundred
Maoris, besides a number Of white peo'
pie lost ,hcir lives. The whole country
within a radius OF over fifteen miles was
changed from beautiful tractto absolute
dcsoation. When the survivors emerged
from under the ruins OF their houses,
such az had not time to get away, or
those who succeeded In out'fuuning the
volcanic showers, returned 10 look Tor
their former homes, they found nothing
but black sand which covered hill aud
dale everywhere. Most Of the smaller
houses at Wairoa aud IN other villages
were crushed In under The heavy weight
Of the masses which fell upon them. and
entirely buried. but the roofs OF several
buildings were seen prouudinE above
the stones and ashes Thus the ruins Of
the hotel and a mill are still visible above
ground and are examined with great IN
tercst by tourists and others who visit
the place. Though the trees and shrubs
aud all vegetation were also destroyed
during the eruption, some Of the more
thrifty trees who we're not hurled 50 very
deep commenced to grow airesh, and
thus a number OF weeping willows aud
several iTuit trees are now ofnamcnting
the old townsitc. among the latter We
found three cherry trees laden with most
delicious ripe fruit. OF this Elder Lin.
ford and 1 partook freely, as we had
brought no lunch along and were conse-
Quenlly hungry. ! have eaten a great
Ccal OF fruit IN my time; but ! don't re.
member that ever enjoyed a meal Of
fruit alone so well as did those cherries
growing on the site OF that town which
had been destroyed by an earthquake.
Having examined the ruins Of WairOa,
we ascended hill from the top OF which
we had a fine view of Lake IafaWera,
but as we wanted better view OF the
mountain OF that name standing ON the
opposite side Of the lake and which we
were prevented from seeing by Intervene
ing hi l., we descended to the banks OF
the lake TO point where the black old
giant which sent forth It's deathly mes.
sengers OF destruction ten years ago was
in clear sight, about twelve miles away
across the lake. The mountain, which IS
$40 ieet high, was almost rent in twain
at the time OF the eruption, and from our
point OF observation the chlsm thus
formed could be seen quite distinctly.
a thin covering Of vegetation has grown
out upon the rlountain slopes, par.
ticularly near lbs base, hence the picture
OF dcsolation Is not so perfect now as IL
was for some time after the eruption,
While still gazing upon the wonders
OF nature the last falling shades OF the
hills upon the placid and cream Colored
waters Of IaTawerl reminded US that
the day was spent, that the sun was dis.
appearing below the western horizon;
and the overhanging clouds also gave US
reason to believe that the night would
be dark one; and here we we're In a
strange uninhahited, volcanic country
eleven miles away from the nearest hu.
man habitalions. So we beat retreat
and started on Our return trip nj time
that we, according to the stable mans
idea, ought to have been at our quarters.
as he had assured Us that Il was very
unpleasant thing" to be found out on
the steep mountain slopes OF the Tara.
vera country after night tall, Relmcing
our steps, we soon reached the top OF
the hill or divide, thence passed down
TO the site OF the ruined Village.
once more Tasted on cherries,
and then walked briskly back To-
RotOrua, In the darkness OF the night,
arriving at our destination at 10 y. m.
We met with no accident and had
not sat down to rest once on our sample
twenty two mile walk, but our soft Euro.
pean bed leit unusually comfortable
that night.
Friday, January 10th, We visited the
government sanitarium and other points
Of interest The country around Rotorua
has been the scene OF several hot CON.
tests and battles between different tribes
tI Mn.fIUs and kVy lva.a. 81 .....t-