Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-17

~ FF the coast Of Northeastern
New Zealand lies an unin-
habited island that is kind
~ of pocket Hades-an awe.
inspiring active volcano that
has several times broken out into vio-
lent eruption, bringing death and dis
aster to the daring people who have
tried to work the rich sulphur deposits
You will find 1t on the maps-a small
dot marked white Island" some Sc
miles from Tauranga Harbor and about
the same distance almost due east OF
Opotiki, on the mainland.
For many years White Island belonged
to my father. who worked the sulphur
deposits. A 5o-ton cutter conveyed the
ore to Tauranga, where 1t was used in
the manufacture of sulphuric acid In a
plant he had established there.
MY elder brother Hawker, who was
about % years of age at the time, was
usually in charge Of operations at the
island, and my father. with the assist
ance Of two men, made periodical trips
there in the cutter, returning to
Tauranga with cargo OF ore.
These voyages were both arduous and
dangerous, for the New Zealand coast
has always been treacherous. and many
terrible shipwrecks have occurred there
When a northeast gale arises. the seas
along the east coast are simply terrific
having the whole force of the Pacific
behind them.
Those must have been anxious years
for my mother, for several times we
thought the little ship had been lost
with all hands. and or one occasion a
steamer was actually getting ready to &c
In search Of her when the old Tamiki
Packet, as the cutter was called, came
rolling home, her decks awash and her
canvas torn to shreds, but with all or
board safe and sound.
AS regards the manner Of life Of those
on the island, you may be able TO gather
some slight idea when say that White
Island, seen for the first time, immedi-
ately strikes the beholder as being with
out exception the most desolate, for
saken. and. at the same time. most awe
inspiring spot, on the face OF the earth
X X X x
IMAGINE yourself for moment de-
posted on small island so miles
from the nearest lanG-utterly cut of
from the outside world. There is ne
possible means of escape in the event
of unforeseen disaster, or succor In
sudden illness or distress.
EVEN IL LIE DldCC WGiC q pol dAAoCs
venture to think 1t would get on ones
nerves a little at times, but White Is
land was most emphatically not para
disc. 1t belonged, indeed, to the other
end of the spectrum, so to speak. Very
much of the ultra violet end-in fact
the ultra purple would, u think, most
nearly describe 1t.
Two small wooden shacks covered
with coal-tar to protect them from the
corrosive effects of the acid fumes
formed the living quarters backed BY
wall of solid rock about 400 feet
high, facing fiat, arid, rocky desert
about two miles long by about one, and
a half across.
This, in its turn, was surrounded by
a wall Of sheer rock. rising even higher
than the first, and to which there were
only two "gateways" or means of in
and another small bay or break in the
wall on the southeastern side.
All the southern portion of this inter.
esting spot-about two-thirds Of its
area, I should thinks. or was, lex.
| tinct," or what Is usually regarded al
being extinct In volcanic districts. Only
| a stray hot spring or a miniature vol.
cano here and there, with the grounc
so hot in places that 1t burns the sole!
of ones boots, breaks its monotonou'
deafness The interesting or active
portion-the power house of the vol
cano-lies at the far or northern end o.
the plateau.
If you can imagine about 10000
boilers all blowing off steam at thu
same time through an exhaust roughly
| the size of the dome of St. Paul's, il
London, and emitting a column o
steam and fumes that can be seen 81
miles out at sea-Well, that is the crate
of White Island. There are severa
others, but this is the chief one.
! Before one gets there, however, on,
encounters lake about quarter Of {
mile in diameter, which, as lakes 60
must, think, be unique, for it is com
posed of hydrochloric acid! Chemist
tell us that it has been formed by tht
inflow of water from the sea, contain
ing chlorides, coming into contact will
the sulphates from down below.
In any case, the subterranean vol
canic fires keep it at a pretty warn
temperature, and its function seems t,
be to dissolve all stones, and anything
else 1t can get hold Of. In doing so i
evolves that interesting stuff known a
chlorine gas, which those who tool
part in the late war can tell you mort
about than I.
This, briefly, is White Island in it
normal state. Later on I will try Il
describe what 1t is like when 1t start
to get noisy! 1t will be seen from tn
IL L. l., s>1>