A TRIP TO ROTORUA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 76, 1 April 1899, Page 1 (Supplement)

A TRIP TO ROTORUA.

(By John Millar.)

On Tuesday, 3rd January, 1899, a

party of nine, three ladies and six gentleman, left Auckland for Eotorua by the 8 o'clock a.m. express train, and arrived at 5 o'clock in the afternoon. We selected a boarding-house, situated midway between Eotorua and Whakarewarewa, and after depositing our traps, the gentlemen of the party adjourned to the Alum bath to rid themselves of the dust acquired on the railway journey. This bath is formed by confining the water which falls over a slight embankment in a pipe, the water falling with moderate force on the bathers below. The water of this bath is strongly impregnated with alum, and is very refreshing. Although it is an open bath, there is a convenient house for dressing, and there is no doubt but that this bath is largely taken advantage of by both sexes.

SANATORIUM AND BATHS

Feeling much refreshed, we proceeded to our temporary abode, where a nice tea awaited us. After doing justice to the creature comforts, we wended our way to the Eotorua township, the streets of which are laid off at right angles, and in some instancesshaded with trees. Eotorua contains many capital boarding-houses and hotels, and of the latter the Grand is said to be unequalled for luxury and convenience in the Southern ■ Hemisphere. Entering the Sanatorium grounds, we inspected the wonderful 'Eachel' spring.. From this spring, which is of immense depth, the water is conveyed by pipes to the enclosed Eachel baths, which are situated a short distance below the spring. Here, by introducing a certain amount of cold water, the temperature is reduced to the required heat, generally about 102 degrees. Some visitors drink the water from the Eachel spring on account of its supposed medicinal properties; but the ladies of our party to whom it was offered did not admire the taste.

We paid a flying- visit to the other baths in the Sanatorium grounds. The 'Priest' bath is very useful in cases of rheumatism, the 'Postmaser' in cases of acute rheumatic affections and sciatica, while the 'Blue' bath is the only swimming- pond for gentlemen in Eotorua. It is four feet six inches deep at one end, gradually tapering to three feet at the other, and is sixty two feet long by twenty-three wide, and formed.of concrete. The water is of a pale blue colour,1 and averages 97 degrees. Thoroughly tired, we turned our weary feet homewards, and in a short time were in the land of dreams.

-The following morning at 5 o'clock we were on our way to Whakarewarewa, where we were fortunate in finding some of the geysers active.- A dull morning developed into a wet and dreary day, which kept us prisoners, but still prisoners of hope. Thursday morning did not look promising, but time was valuable, so we made arrangements for sight seeing.

HAMUEANA

There are three steam launches on Lake Rotorna, which convey passengers to, various places. We selected' one called the 'Alice,' which ssaijecl at 10 f o'clock forenooii for Hamjiji'ana Spring-. After about an Hour and a quarter's steaming, we reached the other side of the Lake, and were landed in a small boat. The spring is about half a mile distant from the lauding. When all the passengers are landed, the small boat is rowed up the stream which flows from -the spring to a point where the passengers await its arrival. Several1 trips require to be made to convey all the passengers to the waiting place. The. Maori name for the stream is Kai-kai-a-tauna, and on its banks at one time there existed a large native village, but now there are only a few Maori whares. The few natives who inhabit them sell cherries to visitors, the cherries growing in great profusion on the banks .of, the stream. At a point in the stream referred to, where another stream joins it, the small boat from the launch embarks passengers for Hamurana spring. From this point to the spring the bottdm of the stream is like a garden, being covered with vai-ious coloured weeds, moss, and watercress. At the top of this stream is the spring. The boat is rowed over the spring and held in position. By holding an umbrella overhead, we could see the water welling up from a ledge of rock thirtyfive feet down* in. a straight line; beyond and beneath this ledge-a sounding line, will not descend,, as from this point the course of the spring curves. The sides of the spring are covered with green moss, and the shades and colour of the water at different depths have to be personally seen to be thoroughly appreciated; any written de-scription-would fail to convey an adequate idea of the beauty of the scene. The surface of the water is smooth, and the spring itself clear as crystal, and the fo^c'e of the water so great that when one of the party dropped a penny into the spring the coin did not sink until forced to one side out "of the current, when it gradually disappeared. The outflow of the spring is estimated at five and a-half million gallons, per hour, and the tempex-ature 46 degrees, the same temperature being maintained throughout the year.

MOKOIA

We left this beautiful sight with regret and once more proceeded on board the launch, which lay at anchor a short distance from the beach, and which was steered for the island of Mokoia, in the centre of the lake. The water was rough and some of the passengers were very sick. Mokoia is rocky and precipitous, except on one side, which is fertile and cultivated by the resident natives, who charge visitors a shilling each for the privilege of landing. This island is associated with the legend of Hinemoa. Hinemoa was a young Maori lady who was banished from her lover, Tutanekai, who resided on the island. But one •night Hinemoa succeeded in escaping from her guards and swam four miles to join her true love on the island. On this island, situated in the middle of a cold water lake, there is a boiling hot spring quite close to the lake. Visitors to the island are shown a tree in the fork of which was placed the dead body of n. Alaori killed in war. In course of time' the tree grew around the bones, but visitors carried them all away as somewhat gruesome souvenirs of their visit. In a little house built for the purpose the Maoris have placed a stone god, whose presence and influence is considered of great virtue in procuring good crops. Perhaps there are more enlightened people who like to make use of their god for a similar purpose-

In ancient times the possession of thia island was the source of fierce intertribal fights-.

TIKITEEE

Leaving the island behind, we are soon landed at Te xVg'ae, formerly the site of a mission station, but now a well cultivated stock farm. The missionaries, following; their usual habit, procured a few slips of sweet bria*.-, which they planted here, as elsewhere, to remind them of Home. These, briars have now overspread much oii the waste land, and are an unmitigated curse. At Te 2s'gae a coach irom Eotorua was in waiting for us, in which we proceeded to a place called Tikitere. Here we were met by a Pakeha Maori called Pat McCrory, who is married to a Maori woman.' Pat conducted us to his country seat,' where he collected an entrance fee of two shillings each, after which he conducted us to as hot a piece of country as can be accommodated in! small bounds. We were first taken to a boiling cauldron, called 'Hell's Gate.' The liquid in this hole is composed of mud and oil, and is twent\ r-nine : degrees above boiling point, and from its surface there ascends a great volume of steam. Other smaller .boiling springs are named ihe 'Devil's Punch Bowl,' the 'Devil's Porridge Pot,' the 'Inferno,' etc., the last-named being about thirty feet long by ten feet wide, its contents ceaselessly boiling and spluttering furiously. All the" springs mentioned are composed of' mud. . Some of them are of different levels, while others have eaten, through their boundaries and joined forces. Further tip are some small waterfalls of clear water, and lukewarm, very suitable for douche baths, but as there is no privacy they can* not be taken advantage of. In this district is to be seen the thick deposit of dust which came from Mount Tarawera when in eruption some years ago. Further tip the hill are large deposits of sulphur,1 some specimens of which are yellow, some soft black earth, some hard black rock.' The sulphur ore is dug by the natives, transported to Te IS'gae 'by btillo'ck' waggons, then shipped by .barge" across the lake_ to Eotorua, whence it is conveyed to Sydney, Australia,' where it is manufactured into sulphuric acirK The best results are obtained from the black sample, which frequently yields from eighty-five ' to. ninety-five per cent. From the trig" station we were shown Lake Eotoiti,; which is eighteen miles in length, and; is connected with Lake Eotorua by a navigable channel. - - . ■

THE BLUE LAKE

Our guide at this point considered he had earned his money, so giving infallible directions to reach the Blue Lake, he left us to our own devices. Following a fairly well defined track, which lay partly through dense bush, for a- distance of a little over a. miie, we suddenly came into full view ofthe beautiful Blue Lake. Below us lay the sheet of water sparkling in the. bright; sunlight. To the left there is a small stretch of: sandy.beach. Fromall the rest of the lake the hills; cover-. Ed with dense greenery rose precipit- , ously.. Heavy bush covered - the heights all around, with the exception ; of the spot on which we stood. On the opposite side there is a Avater-' fall, while'great losses of bare rock ; jut out at several points.^ The lake is ■• deep blue in colour, is hemmed in by hills, and has no visible youflet > rwil!'le ' its surface is dotted with wild ducks, i No 'visitor to Rotorua should fail to visit this unique and charming lake.

TE NGAE TO ROTORUA.

Returning to the coach which awaited us at Tikitere, we commenced our journey to Rotorua, traversing. t]xQ road-we had already travelled as far as the landing at Te Ngae. From ,Te ]\ Tgae to Eotorua, the coach road skirts the .lake, the first portion, -beingthrough a beautiful avenue, which1 was delightfully cool, after passingl, several hours iinder a broiling, sun, not to mention the heat of the. bailing pools. The road is level, but is not macadamised, and being of a sandy nature is very trying to the p_oor horses. During dry weather the cpach raises a cloud of dust, which can be seen miles away, and Avhich covers the passengers and penetrates the lun,gs. In this respect %ye were exceedingly, fortunate, owing to rain having fallen; the day previous to our journey; consequently we were spared one unpleasant ordeal. On our way -we crossed two small cheeks, one of which was formerly spanned by » 12ft wooden bridge. A layer of dust from Taraw.ern eruption fell on this district, ranging in thickness • from, twelve to eighteen inches, and formed a species of cement, which prevented1 the water from penetrating, '.the ground. The result is that during heavy rains the accumulated water from the hills rushes violently towards the lake, and has washed out » channel about two chains wide and fifteen feet deep. The earth thus'removed has reclaimed half a mile of the foreshore of the lake.

(To be continued.)