A Tourist's Experience.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XX, Issue 144, 18 June 1886, Page 2

A Tourist's Experience.

He says : "We went on Sunday to Wairoa. On Tuesday we went to the Terraces, and are the last visitors who will probably ever see such. On Wednesday it rained, and at 10 p.m. the earthquake began, rocking the house in which we stayed (at Brent's Hotel). The shocks became more frequent and severe from midnight till 2 a.m., when a terrific eruption occurred. Huge mountains of flames issued forth, and went upwards towards thc sky with a tremendous roaring sound, whicii prevented us hearing a word spoken. Then a dense mass of smoke belched forth, gradually spreading over the heavens. We were presently enshrouded in as gloomy a darkness as previously we were surrounded by dazzling light, the transformation being very painful and terrifying to most of us. The earthquakes continued intermittent until four o'clock, when ashes came down, and a great thunderstorm broke over the place, still further intensifying the alarm. The ashes were found to be three feet deep at a distance of seven miles from the township. The said tourist alleges that he himself was not a bit frightened, but gazed calmly on this magnificent sight of tho wonderland of New Zealand, and at i o'clock, getting tired of looking at the thing, he lay down and went to sleep. Brave tourist ! A pitiable scone was witnessed by one of the English tourists. He stood on an eminence at an early stage of the eruption, and gazed placidly on the terrific volcano, because in his ignorance he thought it was one of the wonders he had come to Rotorua to behold, when, all of a sudden, as he ! watched, a Maori woman hastened along the road. The earth opened, and with a shriek thc poor woman threw up her arms and went down out. of sight. A shower of hot ashes caused thc tourist to gird up his loins and flee from the spot, feeling he had already had quite enough value for his money.