TO ROTOITI AND ROTOEHU.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 163, 15 January 1896, Page 2

TO ROTOITI AND ROTOEHU.

A Pleasant Cruise. (Concluded.) It would be impossible to describe all the beauties of this marvellous lake. Bay after bay was entered, nook after nook scanned, the loveliness increasing as we proceeded. The great bluffs on the northern shore were festooned with vegetation of the most luxuriant description ; the ratas had already burst into blossom, and the pohutakawa, or Christmas tree, was showing signs of quickly following suit. Great masses of brilliant red blended with the various shades of green giving a wealth of color that it would be impossible to transfer to canvas. The artistic eye lingers longingly on the wondrous effects of light and shade, biTt recognises' how futile would bo the outcome of any attempt ut reproduction. Vista after vista of the most intense loveliness is opened up —the exclamations of rapturous surprise cease, and, as if surfeited with Nature's charms, silence reigns- and so we glide along. Tims, we enter Parent Bay, rousing the wild-fowl from their haunts in myriads. Groves of acacia, willow, cherry trees, and bamboo are the signs by which the old missionaries may he traced, and here there is ample evidence of them. Once more the prow of the launch is directed to the southern shore and passing by the little islet of Patiko—an emerald in a turquoise field—we reach Tapuaekura, a pretty little settlement boasting of a tiny Catholic Church where miss is celebrated at intervals by the Rotorua clcrgv. The nalives are fishing for koura (crayfish) hut assemble on the beach and give us a hearty greeting as we linger for a moment. Hero. Mr William Kelly, the member for the district, lias his sawmill and the bush round about is rapidly being denuded of the heavier and better classes of timber. Hauparu is our next stopping place and her; we spend a pleasant half hour. To this point, which is 1 (» miles and some odd chains from Rotorua, the road is completed and lit for the passasre of vehicles. Further on the road is made' but the culverts are not yet put in. Between here and Ruato the heaviest part of the work was done, great masses of hard rock taking the place of the sugary pumice met with elsewhere. By a "circular sweep we approach the eastern end of the lake under the frowning trachite cliffs of Matawhauru which rise 800 feet above the lake, and ISOO above the sea The abrupt slopes of the mountain are clothed with bush-gigantic rewa-rewas and graceful fern trees predominating. Hore, in a cave near the summit, is the reputed burial place of the chiefs of the Ngatipikiao. This cave after being penetrated for many hundred yards, (so runs the native account), ends'|in an abyss or waro of unknown depth. Into this the bones of those receiving sepulture are thrown, and the reverberations of the various pieces of human anatomy as they strike the sides in their descent impart the necessary awesomeness to the funeral rites. No pakeha has ever entered this cave, when lie does a considerable discount will probably bo taken off the native statement. Tapuaeharuru, at the head of the lake is becoming a large settlement, and when communication is made easier is destined to become still larger. Here Mr A. M Grant has a store, and judging from the fact that he is building an addition to it, he probably means to stay. It is certainly the most favorable camping ground on Rotoiti, for from here with little trouble Rotoehu and Rotoma may be visited. A vast grove of cherry trees, the branches bonding under their burden of ripe and luscious fruit, was explored with satisfactory results, and then headed by our pilot we plunged into the bolt of'bush which separates Rotoiti from Rotoehu. The distance across the isthmus is about two miles but the bush is so wondrously beautiful that it does not seem half as fat. The sun, fierce in the open, had here its rays completely shut out by the great masses of greenery which stretched overhead. Tawa, rata, rewa-rewa, miro and rimu are to be' found in this astoundingly lovely bush. Graceful tree ferns tower high overhead and tiny specimens mingle with the mosses beneath and form a luxurious carpet for the feet. A botanist would fairly revel in these groves' for some of the rarest and most beautiful ferns, mosses and orchids to bo met with in New Zealand are found hore. Collectors will therefore appreciate' the following list (supplied by a friend) of a few of the varieties which are more particularly prominent:—Hymonophylium or filmy fern ; Nephrodiuin squaniu - losum dichotoma; kidney fern: cvathca moduli,'iris, with its giant fronds 20 fret in length ; para maratta salicinia, <>r edible fern. The lycopods or connecting link between the ferns and the mosses are also plentiful. Those who have soon the erstwhile grandeur of the Tikiiapu bush allege that this is not one whit behind. It is a labyrinth of loveliness leading into Fairyland, and if Titania and her attendant sprites wore suddenly to ! appear it would seem most reasonable. A miro tree stands athwart the trench ! the bark has boon scraped a little, but i not so as to harm the tree, and an inscrip- | tion placed in rustic letters, " Arbre del

1 Paul et Virginia." It is evident that. the Sst i spirit of poesy attacks whoever enter* thju £ i enchanted forest. As suddenly as wo en- §1 i tered, wo as suddenly emerge from the grate jßj • ful shade and stretching before us is Rotof elm, sparkling in the sunshine' and. hold- ■ ' ing out its arms invitingly. Here our outward journey terminate} 'M 1 but as we retrace our steps the interest i; fS> unabated. The road now being con- M structed will follow the track through tlm [• bush but every precaution will bo taken : to interfere as little as possible with iu jg present condition. The track is known as p Hongi's, and is alleged to have been cat by that insatiable villian as he hauled bij war canoes across for the attack on Mokoia in 1823. Near the settlement is M to be seen the sunken war canoe, T« Iroiro which it is proposed to raise and' remodel and another relic of Hongi's («; raid is afforded by a large stone near the I side of the track which marks the spot .1 where Te Mapu, one of the principal > chiefs of the Ngatiplkiao fell. Before |5 ; leaving Tapuaeharuru we were liospit- J ably entertained by the natives who vj brought koura and kumara for our regale -- ! ment, with a dessert of cherries. Once j' more embarked full speed ahead was the command, th 6 twelve-mile stretch of '§ Rotoiti was soon covered, }heOhau channel safely negotiated, and Rotorua reached "' in exactly ten hours from the time of departure. -