NGAURUHOE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 469, 30 March 1909, Page 6

NGAURUHOE.

CRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF CRATER AND GONE. WAIMANGU GEYSER "NOT IN IT." The "Herald's" Tokaanu correspondent says: A successful ascent of tho Ngauruhoe volcano has been made by Mr. A. K. Firth, an English tourist, and Mr. R. Famall, under tho guidance of Mr. Alfred Warbrick. Tho party started from the mountain hut at Ketotahi just before daylight on Thursday, and soon reached tho summit of Tongariro.

On account of tho dense fog, some time elapsed before they were ablo to cross the crater of Tongariro, but, that portion of tho journey accomplished, they soon reached the base of Ngauruhoe, where a magnificent sight was presented, the towering cone being in the act of belching forth volumes of ash and steam from the crater. It was with much anxiety that the party began the ascent, for now and then a huge boulder would come bounding down the cinder slope at express, speed. While, the party were toiling slowly up the cone an eruption took place, and Guide Warbrick warned the visitors to bo very careful. Progress then became exceedingly slow on account of the steep slopes being covered with loose Took, evidently recently ejected, but at 9.50 the summit was reached. The party then cautiously wended their' way to the eastern edge to gaze into tho crater. "What a change presented itself since I was last here," remarked Guide Warbrick to your representative. "The crater is about ten times larger than formerly, and the walls are now a mere shell; in fact, the whole mountain-top seems to be in a state of collapse. Strange to say, we saw a hare crouched on the mud volcano. We then moved round to the west side of the crater and examined it. A new crater was there, and it was sending out a small column of steam. The main crater Iras now hugo vents, tho western ono being the more active of the two. After spending a most interesting and exciting half-hour on the summit, a descent was made in rapid time, and we eventually reached the Government hut, which is most conveniently situated for making- the ascent, and very comfortable, thanks to the Tourist Department. Guido Warbrick states that Waimangu, in all its grandeur, was but an infant compared to what is to be seen at Ngaurnhoe. At present a peculiar feature, is the great quantity of mud being ejected, from tho crater.

As tho result of an extensive tour through New Zealand, Dr. Tempest Anderson, of York, England, has been much impressed with tho great natural beauty of the Dominion. In conversation with a newspaper representative, Dr. Anderson said he considered the Sounds to bo most wonderful and interesting geologically. They showed evidence of a glacial action, with a perfection he had never seen anywhere else.

Hβ also thought the. thermal of Rotorua most wonderful, and very similar to Yellowstone Park, in North America. The Rotorua geysers were not on quite so largo a scale,- perhaps, but that mignt be only a temporary state. Somo of the other phenomena at Rotorua, such as tho mild volcanoes, the alum caves, and the subsidences, were on a scale quite unique in his experience. Dr. Anderson said that his hobby was volcanoes. Ho came out here specially to see volcanic phenomena, and was just in time to witness the latter part of the eruption of Ngauruhoo from Taupo. He leaves by the Atua- for tho Islands to-mor-row, and intends visiting the Savaii volcano.