THE LAKE COUNTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7801, 22 November 1886, Page 6

THE LAKE COUNTRY.

Mb. Chas. Bi-omfiklo, the well-known artist, arrived in town on Saturday, after • six-weeks' sketching tow in the Lake coontry and Tanpo districts. He has succeeded in obtaining sketches for some 20 picturesthree of these are ia the volcanio region, view of devastated country from edge of eruption at Pareheru, view from site of Pink Terrace, and a third from the lowest portion of the Rotomahana crater, ahowiag site of White Terrace; skstohes of the white mad geysers of the Waiotapa Valley; half-a-dozen of Whakarewarewa geysers, and nearly a dozen of Taupo and Wairaksi scenery, hot springs, and geysers. This latter district, though familiar to the publio through the medium of the photographer, has never had its attractions illustrated by the artist to any extent worth speaking of, with perhaps the single exception of the lluka Falls. Some of these pictures, as breaking new ground, will probably form attractions at the forthcoming exhibitions of the Auckland Society of Arts, bat meantime it is Mr. Blomfield s intention to place them, when completed, in his stadio at the Victoria Arcade for private exhibition. With regard to the changes going on at Rotomahana, Mr. Blomfield states that the drainage of the upper country is still flowing into the Rotomahana basin, and the whole of the oratera becoming gradually filled up with water. By next winter a large lake will have again formed there, if the inflow goes on at its present rate. There are several oiroular depressions, as if the water was finding an outlet by subterranean ohannels, causing the surface thereby to collapse. From all the information he could gather from native and other sources, the ramour that the roof of the Alum Caves had fallen in is incorrect. The springe and geysers at Orakei, Korako, and Paeroa, whioh, like those at Whakarewarewa, redoubled their energy immediately after the Tarawera eruption, are still going on as vigorously as ever. It will be remembered some months ago. that it was reported that on* of the streema flowing from Ruapoha was pouring out a milky fluid, whioh was discolouring the Waikato River below the point at whioh it juaotioned with that river. That state of things is still continuing, and on Saturday, when Mr. Blomneld crossed the Waikato River at Ateamuri, the river, though very dear some miles above the bridge, was of a whitish hue at the bridge, fie gives the following interesting description of the Falls of Aratiatia, Waikato river, whioh are almost unknown to tourists: —" The Falls of Aratiatia are almost unknown, and while the Hnka Fall is the lion of Wairahei, the lower falls are rarely visited. But a riob treat is in store for the adventurous spirit who cares to see a sight as rare as it is beautiful. From Wairakei the track leads along the river bank about four miles. Here the Waikato river is very beautiful, gliding between its wooded banks, and as you watch it moving along in stately majesty you wonder can this be the same river whioh junt now dashed madly in angry foam over the Huka Falls, and is soon destined once more to rush headlong through the Aratiatia Oorge ? Here the valley of the river narrows, and seon the way is blocked by some curious looking masses of rock, whioh run across the valley in irregular bands. A little farther on these rooky banks are .heavily wooded, and the traveller finds himself shut in by tall manuka, hoary with trailing moss. Great masies of rook hidden among these grand old trees make progress ■low and difficult, yet this tangle of approach constitutes one of the chief oharms of the place. Scrambling over atones and fenu, guided by the roar of the caaoides, now mounting to the top of a massive rook by the aid of • tree stem only to descend again on the opposite side, yon come sad* denly oat on a rooky point and oatoh a view of broad basins and narrow channels, rooky islets and precipitous banks, between whioh latter rushes transparent water of every shade, from the darkest blue to the most delicate emerald, and foam of dazzling whiteness. You soramble over more rooks to get a better view of the soene, and presently see nothing but a mass of white spray dashing past at lightning speed on the high rocky side of an island, which, like a lighthouse tower, seems to defy the raging surf ; or anon, find your progress barred by a deep bay cut in the mountain side, where the back water heaves and eddies as though pausing for want of breath, and where broken fragments of canoes, wrecked long ago on Lake Taupo, are swirling and tossing, imprisoned, yet never at rest. And so you go on for several hundred yards, till the river takes a final leap at the base of a tall cliff covered with bush, and further progress is impossible. But the Interest and excitement grow; the partial views and glimpses obtained between rooks and tree trunks, only whets the appetite for more. So now you olimb the steep bank, and make your way to the edge of the overlooking cliff, and there the oatlook is truly grand. Looking down over 200 feet of sheer rook, the river winds along deep and dark, while looking op you see a eucoeaaioa of waterfalls and rapids alternating with deep bays, the bands of rook oominq down and jutting into the river until they nearly meet These form narrow channels through whioh the water dashes and foams, contrasting strangely with the dark clear water in the deep bays between. On your right a huge grey rook, like the perpendicular wall of a castle, rises np above the tall tree taps, giving hack the torrent's roar ; while below, after gliding softly round the base of the preoipice on whioh you stand, the river rushes foaming through one long, narrow race, and finds itself at last on level country."

Mr. Blomfield is of opinion, now that the famous Rotomahana Terraces are destroyed, that efforts should be made to supplement the wonders of the volcanic region to tourists by making those at Taupo and Wairakei more accessible to the travelling public, and thus enable them to make the grand tour of the Wonderland.

By the San Francisco mall Mr. Blomfield has received a letter from Sir Julius Haast, requesting him to make a replioa of his picture at the Indian and Colonial Exhibition, "View of Rotomahana from the Pink Terrace," to the order of the Hon. £. Stanhope, Secretary of State, who had been anticipated in the purchase of the piotare by an English investor. The companion piotare at the Exhibition, '•Tβ Tarata, the White Terrace," could have been sold three times over. It is gratifying to find that oolonial art and oolonial artistio talent are becoming appreciated in the mother country.