The San Francisco call., 1904-03-09
CEYSER LOOSED
By EARTHQUAKE
Another Wonder of Nature
Is Added to the ManyScenic
Marvels of New Zealand
SAD FATE OF TWO GIRLS
Rush Too Close to Treacher-
Gus Waimangu to Take
Pictures and Are Caught


The latest scientific budget from New
Zealand brings details OF the brand
new geyser that sprsng into existence
there without warning and was first
noticed in fantastic activity on a spot
where he last passerby, a pedestrian
q a feW hours before. had stopped to
admire an innocent-looking little la
COON surrounded by gently sloping
banks Of tender verdure. What a
change IL a few brief moments-an
-Arcadian scene transformed TO one of
weird eruptive activity over which
feathery clouds were replaced by dense
masses Of smoke and steam ever
changing in tone and form,
Attention was first drawn 10 this
newborn wonder by a salvo OF earth
quakes, more than thirty shocks in
fifteen minutes-nature' royal salute
to the young recruit Of geyser land.
This late addition TO the wonders of
nature lies but few miles from Wal
msngu- the greatest geyser on earth,
weird in its surroundings and gro
resqucly whimsical in its eruptions. OF
hjch the Oldest Maori and the most
evperienced guide can give no definite
ldea- SoUle days the displays are light
and fOamy and OF moderate height,
anything from fifty to a hundred feet,
'of frequent occurrence, regular dura-
-jon and without noise.
Ehen there are days when the sur
face Of this Waimangu crater which
covers close TO. an acre. takes on
free from motion or steam that pass
ing observer might well scoff at the
oft-told tales. of its uncanny vagaries
These peculiar phases generally pre-
cede terms OF great, and il must be
admitted normal. violence, when the
monster eXDlOdes with a terrific noise
ard. % heights as great as 20Oo feet
beiches aloft black water, mud and
stones. sometimes directly perpendicu-
lar and sometimes spreading as far as
300 wards from the crater's ragged lips
The new geyser is not only a near
neighbor. but a distinct prototype Of
The grand Waimangu. which only
SeW months ago was the scene OF a
distressing tragedy.
TWO girls aged 1s and 20 years,
eOOd looking. happy and gifted with
generous wealth. were with their
mother visitors TO Waimangu They
had Travelled through a considerable
section of the thermal belt, had been
roWed in Maori-manned boats across
me boiling lake Of Rotomahana and
Rad rraversed devastated Tarawera.
wearing on it's desolate face the awful
ravages Of the disastrous eruption IN
1856. Excited by all they had seen,
fascinated and reckless by the ease and
apparent safety Of all excursions, they
disregar5ed the advice Of their guides
and in order TO secure some uncommon
Snapshots. rushed 30 a point where,
with their unwilling guides, they were
overwhelmed without warning and per-
ished within sight Of their distracted
mother. who stood watching and wait
ing on the heights above
The finest views Of this wonderful
-eyser can be seen from points Of per
feet safety and the Government has
carefully marked and shut off the area
of danger on the day OF a big shot
II this Eeyser the steam often rises 70
q height OF 500 feet. and as il gambois
against the background of pumice-
crusted Tarawera. often capped with
Snow the scene is one Of inspiring
grandeur. 1t is Or such an occasion
that the tourist listens with special in
rerest 20 the Maori explanation of the
erupti0ns the response OF Rua-aw-
Moi1o. the god Of the volcanoes. who
FIRST III them 10 warm himself while
Waiting 70 take vengeance on a land
grabbing Tohunga- and whose enc
ries have ever since been periodically
punished for current transgressiOns by
Upheavals from the shrine Of the irate
Gre god