IN ANGRY MOOD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14566, 31 December 1910, Page 7

IN ANGRY MOOD.

AM ASCENT OF RUAPEHU,

SIGNS OF RECENT ERUPTION.

The first party of tourists to .reach the top of Ruapehu this season left Rangataua, via Snow's Track, at 10 a.m. on Tuesday. They went on to Snow's Camp s at sub-alpine • serubline, at 4.30 a.m. on Wednesday, and while crossing Mangaehuehu glacier could smell sulphur very strongly, and thought Ngauruhoe must be in eruption.

The party continued across the glacier, and then up the spur between Mangaehuehu and Mangateitei glaciers. Here they c.»me across tracks of other tourists, but as these tracks went in the direction of Mangateik'i glacier they were left, and the party continued up the Sipur,, havingto cut steps for about five chains to the I top, which was covered with frozen snow. | The top was reached at 9.30 a.m. !

When the party reached the top their attention was at once drawn to the lake in the crater, which, instead of being its usual gray, was of a dirty blue, with black lines through it. A noise like that of falling earth was heard, but little notice was taken till the noise became louder, and then from the west side of the crater came out yellow and black mud, and this spread out into the lake, while steam was also rising. The rumblir ; js continued, and from the centre of the lake and also from near the south side c<rr,e up thick red mud, which bubbled like boiling porridge and sent up steam. At the east side of the lake there was a steady thin volume of steam rising from the lake level. The snow for several chains down the east side, towards the Wnngaehu glacier, was covered with black dust, giving the impression that the crater had blown out above the lake level, where it was still steaming. The party stayed for an hour and a-half, and quite enjoyed the sight. They observed that the mud worked its way across the lake to the east, indicating that there was a current; in the lake, and that the outlet was at the east side, but underground. The visitors took this as confirmation of the theory that the source of the sulphur stream Wangaehu ir> the crater lake.

After picking up the frozen snow with ice-picks to recover the box containing the names of visiting parties and recording their ascent, the party commenced the descent, and reached Rangataua at 6.30 p.m. They were greatly impressed with the ice-blocks on Mangaehuehu glacier, and believe that- during this summer, as the' snow melts and the crevasses open, they will excel any past season for splendour, and can be included as one of 'he sights of the trip, as well as the Mangaeheuhu Falls.

■ The party-consisted of Messrs. J. H. T. Bateman (of North-East Valley, Otago), R. McCulloch and his 12-year-old son Lawrence (of Rangata.ua), and Geo. Smith (of Rangataua).