A GRAND SIGHT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 33, 9 February 1892, Page 5

A GRAND SIGHT.

An Earthquake To-day.

Steam and Smoke Still

Ascending.

(By Telegraph.—Special to the Star.)

About ton days ago the natives from Orakei, Karako, haif-way between this place and Mount Tarawera, reported that a hot spring there had suddenly burst into fiarra and had thrown up a considerable quantity of volcanic ashes and stones. It then subsided.

Mr Wilcox, the Tokaanu guide, and also Mr Russell Duncan, from Napier, reported a couple of weeks ago that Ngauruhoe, the active cone of Tongariro, was displaying unusual activity. The whole mountain had become hot, and one of the craters in Ngauruhoe was discharging blue flames accompanied with black ashos.

At 4.30 last Sunday morning a native named Heta was passing under the base of the mountain when his horse suddenly stopped and displayed great fear. The mountain became agitated, accompanied with a heavy rumbling noise.

Suddenly a dense volume of flame and black smoke and volcanic stones and ashes shot up high into the air and threatened to overwhelm Heta, bub a strong breeze of wind rose and carried the glowing mass to tho westward.

The ashes commenced to fall here about 6.30 a.m., thus covering an area of ovor forty miles in this direction alone. During the day Ngauruboe belched forth tremendous quantities of black smoko at intervals, and as eeen from here the eight was a inagniGcent one.

Perhaps the fact of this place being beyond influence of tho eruption enabled us to appreciate the more. The mountain was covered in dense smoke all clay yesterday, and the wind being south-wesb nothing could be seen of what was happening within the vicinity of the mountain.

About 4.47 a.m. to-day, your correspondent was awoke from a dream, in which he imagined that burglars had broken into tho house, and found thab a heavy earthquake was in progress. The quake lasted about thirteen seconds, and was followed by heavy booming from tho Tongariro. I had a glimpse of tho mountain for a few minutes to-day; ib was then sonding up steam and smoke to a tremendous height.

It is impossible to say what further antics the mountain will perpetrate. The scene ab present is a grand one, and it is a great pity there were so fow visitors to witness it.

Gisborne, this day.

A severe earthquake shock lasting eight seconds, in tho direction of east to west, was experienced here at 5.30 this morning.

Napier, this day.

A prolonged shock of earthquake was felt ab 4.40 a.m., accompanied by aloud rumble. This is the strongest shock for some time.

Wellington, this day.

The earthquake shock reported from Gisborne and Napier was felt here, bub the movement ivas very slight.