A Thrilling Account.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XX, Issue 144, 18 June 1886, Page 1

A Thrilling Account.

Wellington. The following telegram has tieen received by the Under Secretary for Crown Lands from tho officer iv charge ut, Rotorua dated 8 50 a.m. :— " Wo are iv the midst of a terriblo convulsion of nature. The extinct volcano con's of Tarawera and Rotomahana burst iuto a cavity between 1 a.d 2 o'clock this morning. There was a constant succession of earthquakes until about 5 o'clock and thunder and lightniug wero almost incessant and are still continuing. There aro immense volumes of flames and smoke from the conts, and stoiun from tho locality of the Whine Terrace The showers of dust and grit reached lure a littlo before six o'clock, but fortunately a shift of wind has since diverted them. It was a really grand sight resembling Martin's picture of "The Last Day " The people are greatly excited and many have cleared out for Oxford and Tauranga. The Lake has risen considerably and many new springs have burst out. There is a small geyser just below my house. No serious damage has been done here so far. Messengers have gone out to Te Wairoa to try to ascertain the position of matters there. The telegraphist here had no hope that the lines would be workable, but I am now informed that he has secured communication. I think it desirable to let you know the true state of the case in order to prevent the spread of unduly exaggerated reports." 9.18 a.m. Buggies have just returned from Te Wairoa. There has been a terrible catastrophe there. The native sohool house was struck by

I lightning, and, while burning, was overwhelmed with torrents of hot mud and stones. Mr Haszard and family are all dead, with the exception of the two eldest girls, who were saved by Mr Lunden's pulling them through the window. Mcßae's hotel is demolished and one tourist staying there is missing, Tha servants, and also Mr Humphries who have come in state that the falling mud nearly knocked downMcßae and Humphries who oro still out there. Buggies cannot gee ptJßt the Tikatupu bush. Several natives are known to be killed. I think there is no hope for those at TeAriki and Moria. lam going out with a relief party tos?o what can be done. Gisborne, June 10. At 2.30 this morning the inhabitants ©f Gisborne were startled out of their sleep by a rumbling noise accompanied by a shock causing the houses to shake and the windows to rattle. A3 there seemed no likelihood of the phenomenon stopping, a number of people got up and paraded the town in a state of excitement, and their attention was drawn in the direction of Rotorua, from west southwest, by volumes of fire shooting up in the air out of an umbrella-shaped cloud. The sight was a magnificent one. The cloud spread out over the whole sky and the rumbling continued till nearly four this morning when there was a sharp shock of earthquake followed quickly by a second, and at eight o'clock there was another slight shock. The town, up to the present time, is in nearly utter darkness and the shops are all lit up. There is a distinct smell pervading the air which has had a peculiar effect on many inhabitants. The affair has caused great excitement. The birds early this morning were flying about in a helpless fashion. Up to 2-30 the night was clear bub intensely cold. At present it is raining hard. Rotorua, June 14. Mr P. M. Berry wires :— " The terraces are gone and the wbole base occupied by them and by Rotomahana ia now a series of great volcan ops, aud a grand and terrible spectacle. Huge boulders nnd showers of ashes are being thrown up by tbem. Tarawera, as far r.s we could fe3 it, was free from volcanic disturbauce. We could nob sec the site of the White Terrace for smoke and steam, but it canrnot rxist. The Pink Terrace looks as if it bs»d fallen in. All the natives round Rotomahana must have perished." Tatsranga, June 13. Dr Hector is of opinion that the dust that lies on the road will ultimately prove beneficial. The dust is heavy, and is just what the light soil of Tauranga requires. It is reported that White Island shows unusual signs of activity. June 14. A number of people just in from Te Puke and the Coast report that the whole district presents a desolate appearance, and that all the feed is completely ruined until next spring. The road between here and Te Puke is strewn with dead sheep and horses. Most of the former perished by being poisoned with tutu. The latter were swamped. Wanganui, Juno 14. Mr Lawrence Cussen, of the Survey Department reports that three weeks ago he was on the top of Ruapehu, when he saw steam issuing from the crater. A few days later he saw a column of steam fully 200 feet high. The natives state that they have never known anything of the kind happen before, Ruapehu always being de mcd exfciuct. Mr Cussen makes a report to the Government on the matter. Wellington, June 11. Mr Gray, the Secretary of Telegraphs, has roceiv-'d a telegram from Tarawera to the effect thut iast night a noise as of an eruption was liea-d in the direction, of Tongariro, and this morning the mountain was covered with a kind of nii-t so that it was impossible to obuin ii gliir.p.-e to sec whether there are any si-_ us of activi y. Tne settlers in the nei^hl ourbo >d an; al rrad at the noiss the mount in is making, aud remained up all nignt AUCKLAND, June 11. Lake Taupo yesterday afternoon rose to an alarming height very suddenly but subsided gradually without doing any damage. Tongariro at the same time showed increased activity. This morning Tongariro was enveloped in thick smoke and loud explosions proceeded from it, a severe shock of earthquake being felt. Simultaneously at Rotorua there were two shocks of earthquake this morning. An old Maori was dug out yesterday at Wairoa, after being buried four days. He says that he had no food, but prayed all the time. The natives will not speak to him, believing him to be a wizard- and the cause of the eruption. A constable arrived at Rotorua reports no hope of saving life at the Ariki and Mouroa settlements. The former is buried twenty feet deep in mud and ashes. The latter has disappeared altogether, and is believed to have been swallowed up by Lake Tarawera. It is believed that no further eruption will take place at Rotorua, but Tongariro is considered very threatening. Rotorua. June 12. The term "lava," commonly applied for want of a better word to debris thrown out by the volcano, is misleading. Tarawera Mount has not yet been reached, and the general character of the eruption there remains to be determined, but tho stuff in which Hazard's house was buried, and which has covered thelcountry for 100 square miles, consists almost exclusively of fine dust, apparently pumice. At Wairoa hard lumps were mixed with this. and showers of red-hot stones were seen, some of which fell at Wairoa, but so far as can be ascertained at no greater distance. At Tahoko and Ngae there has been nothing but dust. The great weight of this, together with the violence of the wind, was enough to bear down buildings. The residents of Rotorua described the noises heard as similar to those experienced at Tauranga — rumblings and tremors — but nothing resembling the cannonading heard in Auckland. This noise probably arose from the discharges in tho upper atmosphere, and was deadened to those nearer the scene by the rumblings and vibrations in the lower atmosphere. At Ohinemutu the first signs were felt at an early hour and were taken for earthquakes. These continued without intermission. On looking out a dense black cloud was seen in the <.irccof Tarawera, but it appeared as close as if it were hanging over Ohinemutu itself. In this occurred the wonderful electric phenomena, like most brilliant lightning, but terrible beyond description. Nearly tlie whole population rushed from their houses terror-stricken, and ran down the street apparently under an impulse to get away from the black canopy, which seemed as if about to seal up the history of the village and involve all the inhabitants in one common grave. Some declared that the day of judgment had come, and the feeling experienced was such as we may suppose would be felt by inhabitants of the earth on that awful day. None of those I have

, '.. - ■——-—4-—— I spoken to" wish to. repeat the experience of that terrible night. f Junfc 13, The body of Edwin Bainhridge was! found i covered up by debria underneath the fallen verandah of Mcßae's Hotel. He was a native of Nejsvcaatle-on-Tyne where his parents still rlpd. He evidently met with instant death. ■ ' " The island iMdkoia, on lake Retaraa is reported to ,b£ Softening, an eruption of steam taking plso*, and a volcariie eruption ii »* * «*tter_p taking the natives away. Mr Burfc a, Burvivor, has just arrived, and brings newjß that the Terraces are destroyed. Rotomahana mountain has half blown away, while lakes Retokokahoko and Kakartawea are a seething -misa, and still trembling: with earthquakes; Tha damage to the oouniry. is much greater than reported. Ti* teri, opposite to lake Rotorua, has broken into eruption, it- being a raudhole notable for its violent intermittent spouting and small. Messrs Blyfch and Burt have arrived, and report an immense- volcanic crater belohing between the peak and the place of the first «uption at Galatea.' The whole country-is still in a state of eruption, and mud continues tb belch from Ohinemutu, and if the wind goes round to the east it is not known what the consequences may be. To-day the Maoris are burying their dead, and the picture i3 a sad one. The party haye tried to get to Rotomahana and found it impossible to proceed, the debris being up to the horses girths. '."/.' Wel_inq_o_. The Hon Mr Larnach received the following message from Dr Hector this afternoon : Captain Mair Bends me the following :— Wiiboa, June 15. We hare jwsfc got baok (9 p.m.) after a fearful climb up the hill. We found Moorea covered enly three feet with the safest ooze which had run down from the heights above, and swept the sediment and all the hats into deep water. Not a blade of raupo Jis to be seen floating on the lake. ' We then went on to Te Ariki, and found the bay there filled right out to the point en the right band side, leaving only a slight curve. The place once occupied by tha natives is- covered about 20 feet with white dust, which has been shot out of a huge rent in the south end of Tarawera mountain, which ia still aotive. On the top of the fine dust, which is too hot to bear the feet on in places, lie two feet of wet mud apparently quite recent, over which it is quite impossible to walk. Rotowaikauri is full of large active steamers, the largest seems to be abeut tha size of the White Terrace, . and is throwing np enormous clouds of grit \ and dark dust. We found a party of nine natives front Matata, and the poor chaps had been floundering about in the dry ashes for two days looking for their lost relatives. We took them to near Tapahoro, and gave them j a good lot of tucker. We have been the|| means of saving them from a mi3erable|i night under Mount Tarawera. Continuouj|j| land and mud slips and avalanches of rocßlg keep tumbling into the Lake at dozens ttfg places, making an awful roar. The Lak||l| still pulsates a good deal, and is very higs||| All the points or promonteries of , rock ajjja knocked about, and huge masses are OTaffjn turned. Our chaps could hardly get to t&|a top of the cliff, and on our return we were M|H pretty well pumped out. ?__[ Gisbobne, Jane lfcejgpj News from the East Coast states that tara| districts beyond Tologa Bay are now raojssfiS less affected by the eruption. WaiapjjJH Rotorautakua, Waiomatatiri, Waiparo, Mpfß other places are covered with r M£___<_________[ varying from three aua'ttfeK^^m__W^i-_l eight inch.,; £ %MlwW™Wm&sM& cattle afjd%_^MTJl^^^^MHHH|| Mobs of shtepTfl*aM?, r and iiorses are wandjgß ing about in a bewildered condition. TSH settlers are feeding the stock on what hagj food they have got, but this mast shortly rnH out. On Colonel Whitmore's run the stulHß are wandering about for food. Large fltretcnHH of country are completely devastated. 3£H damage done must be serioui. * win Wellington, June lApM Sir Julius Yogel received thefollowH^H telegram from Rotorua this morning : — fl|B " Four severe shocks of earthquake wfflßj felt between 12 and 12.30 last night n|H| several smaller ones during the night, p9H9 ducing a general feeling of uneasmeggS Several people left their houses in . thaSS blankets, wandering about and not know_B|B The geysers and volcanoes are the samejßH yesterday. The Springs are very active hJs&S and their temperature has much increaßeffiSH