The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-01-18
HOT SPRINGS OF NEW ZEALAND.

 Points of Interest Visited by Courier"
 Correspondent - Country Boiling
 With Hot Springs for Miles-A Land
 Favorable to Longevity and Large
 Families.
 To the Editor of the Journal and Courier:
 Lake TapalSuna, Auckland, New Zealand, Dec. G., 1S96.-I have just re- turned from a visit to the World-re- noWned hot lakes and springs of Wha- kareWaseWa and Rotorua, 170 miles from Auckland by rail- It took elev- en hours, as the train had to wind around mountains, and often the grade was so steep that five miles an hour was all the speed that could be made. The country is exceedingly picturesque, being mountainous, with extinct volca- noes on the tops of the mountains, with every now and then river or lake be- tween. We crossed one river that has coal mine under it, and we passed the trains bringing up the coal. We crossed one piece of level land that was very fine pasture; there are thou sands of sheep and lambs grazing there. Further on we saw great many horses and cattle. It is a great country for breeding cattle, as well as | children. Most of my relatives here have ten or twelve. You may recol- lect interviewing in my store nine years ago my uncle, who was seventy three years old. He was making a tour of the world with his wife. He died four years ago, but his wife, who will be seventy-nine next month, is still hale and hearty, and is going to Sidney with me tomorrow 1,2S1 miles She counted up to me thirty-two grand children and twenty-eight great grand children, all the product of the five children they took from London with them. But to resume.
 We arrived at the hotel at o'clock p. m., tired and disgusted with the ac- commodations on English railroads, for which they charge four cents a mile. After having a bath in the hot spring water, which is brought to the hotel, I enjoyed a good nights rest, and early in the morning went out to view the boiling springs It Is indeed wonderful sight, and we'll repaid us for our trouble; the air around was filled with steam. I went over to the Maori cillage; the first thing saw was a woman washing her clothes in one of the pools. I dipped my hand in, but found it too hot to keep 1t there. She laughed and took hold of my hand and led me around amongst number of boiling springs of all sizes; some deep and hollow in the shape of a large cal drons, and some in the form of small 1 lakes, where 1t is dangerous to step | unless we'll acquainted with the ground. Four days after I was there, a Maori native was gathering sulphur. I The crust broke and let him in, and he was boiled to death After viewing the springs of Whakarewasewa we took an eighteen mile drive to Rotorua, said to be the most extensive hot springs in the world. The scenery is wonderful; all mountains and springs The mountains, all of volcanic origin with extinct craters at the top. The springs are boiling hot the ground all around them is covered with sulphur, and the air tastes of it. Every few l hundred yards during the whole eigh- teen miles you could see steam coming out of the ground, giving evidence of what is beneath Take it altogether, it Is the most wonderful sight I ever be- 1 held.
 1 In few days I shall start for the gold mines, of which I will send you an I account. Till then, adeu.
 T. HURLE.