AN ANGRY VOLCANO.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 6 March 1928, Page 9

AN ANGRY VOLCANO.

NGAURUHOE AGAIN ACTIVE

A SPECTACULAR DISPLAY. , Ngauruhoe is in an angry moodi and giving signs of an eruption. On Saturday afternoon, after smoking. and steaming all day, the volcano began to rumble, and at six o’clock sent up rocks to a height of about 500 ft. Messrs. A. Snowdon and B. D. Raw,son, two young trampere from Hawera, were on the saddle between Ngaurunoe and Tongariro at the time, and after seeing one rock drop outside the lid of the crater and roll down the slope, they admit that they recovered energy they thought they had already expended in climbing both mountains earlier in the day. They spent the night at Mangatepo-po Hut, and the volcano thundered practically continuously. Above it the sky was pierced by a fiery glow. At Wliakapapa huts, seven miles away, people, were awakened during the night, by the rumble, which resembled distant thunder. In the forenoon of. Sunday, after some hours of quiescence, Ngauruhoe again became active, for at about 10 o’clock it thundered without cessation for about five minutes and sent up great clouds of white and blue vapour. The heavy sulphur fumes dropping down the' slopes enveloped the great cone, the sides of which carry patches of enow to a fairly low level. Twenty minutes later, after complete quiet, a loud shot took place, actually shaking the -dints at Whakapapa, 'At the distance and in the sunlight it was impossible to see if rocks went up. At 10.30 another tremendous shot took place which, according to Mr. Cowling, the ranger, was never exceeded in the eruption of two years ago. The column of steam and smoke went up ,2000 ft vertically, and much higher after it spread, and showers of rock fell on the northern slope, down which dust rose a® the material rolled.

It was an exciting experience that was made more awe inspiring by tlie crashing echoes that- returned, from Ruapehu. Mr. Cowling says there is everv probability of continued activity.