A Trip to Wonderland and Back.

Hastings Standard, Issue 256, 25 February 1897, Page 4

A Trip to Wonderland and Back.

By THE SATURATED PILGRIM

[To the Editor.] I feel proud to think that so many intelligent readers are taking such an interest in this " Thrilling Narrative." I hear on all sides comments on how the writer has got mixed in the names and situations of the different places he writes about. To them I owe an apology. In old age one's memory is bound to fail, and be somewhat remiss. To those individuals that have travelled over the same ground further iustructiou or explanation is unnecessary, to them that have never been or don't intend to go to them it is immaterial how the different place? are named, or where situated.

If I recollect correctly, I left the patient reader alongside of a big stone with a legend attached to it, on the Terrace above the Atiamuri bridge. Whilst the horses are getting their wind and the party a pull at the refreshing weed I will let you have a description of the stone and the legend. The stone is a large one, with a hollow in it that would hold a large man in a sitting position. In the hollow where one would be seated the impression of a person is as clearly defined as it would be in tempered clay, showing where every part of the human body would come in contact. The legend is that a young native was chased by the members of another tribe for coming after one of their young maidens, and on being nearly overtaken this stone rolled off the side of the mountain on top of the pursued party and closed on him, entirely concealing him from his pursuers. After the pursuers had abandoned the chase and not being able to discovei him, the stone again opened and let him out, " Whilst the band played ' Annie Rooney.' " The natives firmly believe that it happened. On again, and we come to where the road branches off to Leitchfield, which is marked by a finger-post. These finger-posts are a good institution in outlying districts, where directions of a reliable nature are so difficult to be obtained. On over another stretch of flat worthless country, acoss a small bridged creek, on to more up-and-down going, with Horo Horo mountains looming away on our left.

We now arrive at the Tauanatura river. The bridge here has suffered from the effects of the late rains and the approaches had been washed away. We stop here for dinner, and whilst that is preparing have a look round. The river is well stocked with trout, good baskets having often been procured here ; the bait most suitable is a maggot, grass-hopper, or a small piece of lean meat, the fish not being in any way dainty in their tastes, Dinner finished, and, with eighteen more miles still staring us in the face, away we go. The road all the way into Rotorua is now more broken, and nearly all the culverts have suffered more or less from the effects of the storms that have prevailed lately. We can now hardly discern objects as we pass along it having commenced to rain and the mist settling down enshrouded everything of interest from our view. We are now approaching civilisation, as we encounter wire fences in all directions. Passing a few native houses on our right, with a small area of cultivation, we ascend a short cutting, and bowling through the gorge with all the"hot springs and geysers of Wakariwariwa distinctly to be seen on our right hand steaming away. The water race that supplies all Rotorua with fresh water is a couple of hundred feet below us.

The afternoon now being perfectly clear and cloudless, we had a splendid view of the lake and the island of Mokaia, made famous we are told by one of the party, by the opera of " Hinemoa." The party who tendered us the information is no small pumpkin in operatic lore. I was always led to believe it was made famous . through some native chieftainess swim- J ing over to her lover who was on the island. He used to play the tin whistle to acquaint her of his whereabouts. The island of Mokoia is about three miles from Rotorua; not a bad swim for a young girl. It is very productive and highly cultivated, all the food of the natives about Rotorua being grown there. Some rare sights are to be seen on the island, but I have now forgot what they are, not having been on it for many years. It is like Westminister Abbey, the burial place of the illustrious dead, as no one can be buried there but a Rangatira of the first water. We are now travelling quickly to the town of Rotorua, distant about three miles; but, as it is a gradual descent and the roads good, we are but a very short time doing the distance, and pull up with many flourishes at the " Grand Hotel " in true English tourist style. The apartments were not suitable to our rank and style, and so we came to the conclusion that it would be more becoming to pitch our tents than go to any second-class house which we did. One or two of our party were seriously grieved that apartments were not to bo bad at the Grand Hotel, but others again were equally pleased that they were not ; the pleased ones not having their iiar paint un>/ dress coats. Our leader well knowing his way round these diggings, soon took us to a very convenient spot for camping, nicely secluded and clos® to plenty of wood and water, and in the near vicinity of the Sanitorium baths, i What more could the most fastidious ! desire. Tent pitching and getting things into ship-shape order, paddocking the horses, Ac-, all having been I attended to *ud .supper being in a ! forward state of preparation, all hands trotted off to the baths to have a thorough boiling, having *ccoinpli*ht*l which all returned to the camp, having lost their appetites and found horses'. Alter tea some went to the gardens to hw band, which ioum d us

thought had been got out on purpose to do honor to us, but we found the difference when the hat was passed round, and we had to clip into our aide pockets. There are two brass bands in Rotorua, and very good ones they are too, or I am no judge of music. All the " pubs" here, which are owned by Mr L. D. Nathan, of Auckland, close at 10 o'clock, so mostly all of us were in bed very shortly after that time very pleased with our day's work.

February 6. A long lay in bed this morning, no horses to be cleaned and harnessed, and no bustling to make an early start to reach a certain point. We could have all enjoyed our long stay in bed but for two grievous nuisances. The first was sandflies, and how they love the blood of the stranger ; they swarm at_Rotorua in tens of thousands. The second nuisance, I am sorry to say, lasted all night long, and that was a repetition of the musical nasal dnet so ably and loudly rendered by the same brace of performers that kindly favored us on a former occasion. They must have been trying to eclipse their previous performance, as the foghorn of one of our coastal steamers was not a patch on them. Verily they are champions at the game. The day was spent in sightseeing by the party, some going to Wakarewarewa to see the wonders there, and others doing the sights of Ohinemutu. I having been here so long as v. resident, the sights of Rotorua were nothing strange. What struck me with most surprise was the strides the place had made since my last visit, about twelve years ago. Rotorua was then to all intents and purposes a native settlement with three hotels—The Lake, Palace, and Mrs Morrison's. Mrs Morrison's is now used as a private boarding-house, the license being transferred to some other place. The new hotel erected, The Grand, to look at is one of the finest to be met with in the colony. Our mission to " Wonderland " is not to inspect hotels, so of them ro more. The late Mr Melfroy, the resident engineer, must have worked hard and had his soul in the work to make such a change in it. Beautiful houses and gardens, churches and schools of all denominations, stores and shops of all descriptions, reading-rooms, and large public buildings, with the trains running in and out daily, steamers plying backwards and forwards, lighters arriving from Tiki Tere loaded with sulphur en route to Auckland, coaches plying every half-hour. Surely Rotorua has transformed since I carted the cement for the Sanitorium. There are still numbers of old residents remaining, whom I knew on my first visit there over three or four and twenty years ago, and it gave me the greatest pleasure to meet them and have a chat about old friends and times. Children whom I knew in those days are now fathers and mothers of families. Another thing that struck me was the rapid growth of trees since my last year. If I recollect rightly there were very few pines to be seen, now the whole country side is planted with them, and they thrive amazingly. There is a beautiful public park planted with ornamental trees that jvould be a credit to any place. It is a pleasure to walk through it or to sit under the shade of a tree with an interesting book when tired of looking at the many wonders to be seen and admired. All modern innovations are to be met with in Rotorua, from the divided skirt to the town ranger in quest of stray cattle and horses. The authorities are death on any animal straying about the town or suburbs. The streets are all about two chains wide, and are very nicely kept. It would be difficult to find any mud unless it was hot. The post and telegraph offices are very handsome buildings, and are in charge of the same officer who presided over them twenty years ago. I allude td Mr Danzy. He was then a young man, but is now the father of a large and promising family.

Sunday, February 1. A day of rest. We were awakened by the ringing of the church bells, which brings forcibly to our minds our distant homes in Hastings. After breakfast a general overhaul of travelling bags for cuffs and collars take place, as most of us intend to attend our different churches in the forenoon. After divine service and lunch over a party is formed to visit To Wairoa. Of course, it must be explained, that none of us would have thought of going on a Sunday if we had not have been so pressed for time. The horses were soon ready and a start made for Te W T airoa. The road, which is a good one for a certain distance, passes the Rotorua racecourse, the grandstand of which, I must say, is not quite up to the state of perfection of of ours at Hastings (I very much doubt if they have a Jerry Coughlan at Rotorua.) On past the old cemetery, where some of the Haszard family, who met an untimely end along with others at the outbreak of Tarawera, are buried. They have a new cemetry now at Rotorua, which is in good order. The roads are all marked with notices here, where stock can be driven, and there is a heavy penalty for breaking the law (Rotorua is a whale of a place for public notices). After crossing a most vile smelling creek and along the road to Tikitere for about a mile you turn off sharp to the right, on to the road leading to Te Wairo, which is not now kept in good repair the traffic on it not being very great. Signs of the outbreak of Tarawera are now plainly to be seen, the hills and hollows being covered with ashes many inches deep ; in some places you could truthfully say feet. This is not by any manner of means a nice road to ride along, being washed out to a great depth, in many place right on the road, and slips always occuring, rendering it dangerous especially after nightfall. On through a pretty buah, and you suddenly come to a lake, which to "my kßovkdf* «*• *» out » soM

beautiful blue, but ia now a dirty mud color. We pass on our right hand the two little houses that were inhabited by Bob Gregory, surfaceman, and his family at the time of the eruption. Bob was sergeant-major in Captain Mair's division stationed at Ivitariria when my employer, Mr J. McPherson, had the depot at that place. I am happy to say he and his family escaped and are now at Kotorua. Past another mud-colored » lake which is supposed to be three hundred feet lower than the one first encountered. The road around the lake was not safe for riding over, so many heavy slips having occurred. They were not slips, they were avalanches caused by the incessant rains at the time of our visit. We now cross the creek running out of the lake and to our left go on to Te W'airo.

(To be Continued.)