OUR HOMELAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20076, 13 October 1928, Page 4 (Supplement)

OUR HOMELAND.

BT ELSIE K. UOttTON.

WONDERS OF GEYSERLAND. KARAPITI BLOW-HOLE. The voyagers and their guide wore soon making tboir way along the road from Wairakei to the great Karapiti Blow-hole. "I wonder what it will look like?" exclaimed Pixie, as she and Pat hurried on, eager to see what new wonder awaited them. " Like a big geyser, ono bigger than Pohutu or Wairakei, or any of them," said Pat confidently. "It will come roaring out of a great, enormous cavern, all black and red, like the Dragon's Mouth." Pixie shuddared at Pat's graphic word-picture. " Now, Pat," she said imploringly, " promise me you won't get up to any tricks, going down its mouth like you did with the Dragon. It really wouldn't bo safe!" "Trust me to look cut for myself!" said Pat loftily, "but if anyone else has crawled down Karapiti Blow-hole," he added firmly, " I'm going down too!" " Going down where?" asked the guide, who caught up with them at that instant. " Down Karapiti Blow—" began Pat boastfully, then he stopped. " Goodness! What's that awful noise?" he asked. For a great roaring tumult of sound burst suddenly on their ears, such a din as they had never listened to before, as ceaseless, as monotonous as tho roar of the surf on some wild ocean shore. " That's IvarapiCj!" said the guide with a broad smile, " and somehow I don't think you'll be poing down to-day!" A moment later, the children stood at tho foot of a manuka-covered hill-slope. A few feet away, on (be brink of a dip in the ground, was a little slit in the earth, something liko a narrow funnel-opening not more than a foot across, and from this little aperture came a roaring jet of steam, »that seemed to rend tho very heavens with its din, the very embodiment of tho relentless, dynamic forces that had produced this wonderful region of Geyserland. Such pent-up energy, such terrific power confined in a single jet of 6team, was something the children had never been brought face to face with before, and they remained mute, overawed, silenced by tho tumult and wonder of a sight that has filled the scientists of the world with awe. "So that's Karapiti!" said Tat at last. " Well, somehow I don't think I'll bo going down to-day after all!" Goodness, how she blows! Couldn't some uso bo made of all that power going to waste?" " Possibly," replied tho guide. " Many others have suggested the same thing, but Karapiti has been termed the ' Safcty-valvo of New Zealand,' and it's tricky work playing with safety-valves! Tho pressure of Karapiti is estimated to bo about 1601b. to tho square inch. You can feel for yourself, the ground quivers beneath your feet . , . how would you like tho job of building a plant right up beside Karapiti?" " Not much," said Pat thoughtfully. " I've got an idea this is ono of tho wonders of Nature that it would bo very foolish of man to tamper with!" " Very foolish indeed!" agreed the guide with a smile. " Watch and seo what Karapiti will do with this benzine tin!" lie flung it into the little rift, next instant it was caught in the roaring jet of steam and (lung up thirty feet into the air like a match, falling to the earth flattened and dented with tho force of the impact. Pixie shuddered. " I don't think I like Karapiti," she said. " It's like something fierce and wild, that would destroy us all if it got tho chance. " No, tho very force and unrestrained energy of Karapiti are our safeguard," said the guide. Once check that terrific source of power, however, and no one knows what might happen!"