Excursion to White Island.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 25, 31 January 1887, Page 2

Excursion to White Island.

A MOBT enjoyable trip waa mado on Saturday to tho lauely sulphur island off Opotiki. Leaving Auckland on Friday at 7 p.m., White Island wan tightod at 10 next morning, when great brown clouds of Eraoko wuro being ejected from the central part of tho island. Luckily, tho wind changed to N.E., und thie smoke disappeared Tho soa beiug moderate, an o,i-y landing waa tlTocted, and the wondors of tho glistening sulphur cones', tho fumoroles, and the mud geysers were visited. The once fauiom boiling muriatic acid luko has disappeared come two yours or iH'/ro. The Hmcmoa lately visited the island and reported thU lake us now an active volcano, but Saturday's visitors found it in its usual state A now geyaor shooting at tiiuos up to a height of HO feet was a centre of attraction. The vast Btoain blow-holt haa altered considerably of late years, and is now much emallc:r, and surrounded with a beautiful green lako, with green, yellow, nnd amber shore? of sparkling sulphur deposit?. The nutivo portion of tho inland is i-ituatod in tho bod of a crater like gorgo. IJoro dark cliffs of loose basaltic rock riso up with almost, perpendicular sides to a height of 800 or UOO feot. Innnmorablo eteatn jets blow through the Bides of. tho precipices, and each is building a litllo pinnoret of pare oulphur. Out blazes the sun, nnd these golden spear-like forms Fpnrklo and ecintillate, amidst the shifting clouds of vupcur which rico from all sides, in ft most beautilul manner. On returning, tho Clansman wont into Tauranga ilnrbuur, whoro the townspeople, to chow their diapust at tho action of Judge Wileon (late manager of the Tauranga Sulphur Works), who had prevented their visiting the island, burnt him in utligy on the beach. Tbo Clansman's prcipollor got foul of tho mooring chain of one of the harbcuo buoys in goig out, asd had it not beeu for the pluck of a Greek sailor on board, who dived and freed it. aftor eomo time, a considerable delay might have been experienced. Dur ing tho trip the well-known photographer, Mr Charles Spencer, of Tauronga, touk sumo capital views of the new features of the island.