STRANDED ON TARAWERA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21112, 20 February 1932, Page 4 (Supplement)

STRANDED ON TARAWERA.

By OLIVE HYDE, D.M.8.G., Builii Street, Kotorua. (Age 17).

" All aboard," yelled Jack Bretton as we scrambled oil board the small launch we had hired to take us across Tarawera Lake. The four of us, Jack and Beryl Bretton, Bob Dixon and myself were to make the ascent of Tarawera Mount together with our guide. Wo pulled out from the wharf about se.ven o'clock in the morning, with a cool breeze making little ripples on the surface of the lake, while from the surrounding cliffs blazed the lovely crimson flowers of the pohutukawa trees. Overhead drifted a few fleecy white clouds in nn azure sky. For about an hour we sat idly talking or watching the water being churned into foam by the propeller. " We're nearly there," shouted Bob Dixon at last, and in a very short time we were able to wade from the boat through the shallow water to the small shingly beach beneath the mountain. We began our strenuous climb, each with their own knapsack containing lunch and thermos flask. Up wo went, stumbling and sliding on the loose black scoria, stopping to rest and refresh ourselves with tea from our thermos flasks, and then up a little further again. I( took us about two hours to reach our goal, where we found a great yawning crater before us. When we dropped stones into it we could hear them rumbling downward, but we could not hear them reach the bottom. Upon feeling the boulders on the edge of the crater we found them to be quite warm. Our guide then took us along the top of the mountain to see into the other craters. After coming back the same way we made our descent. It was the most, exciting time of all, for in parts we could not walk, but came sliding down on the loose scoria. Wo wero about half way down when Jack gave a yell. "Look!" he cried. "The launch is adrift quite a long way from the shore." We all gazed in amazement at the drifting launch. However would wo get back if we couldn't get the launch before it drifted too far? Our guide suggested that one of the boys go with him as quickly as they

could descend the remaining distance, to see if they could rescue the launch. Jack went, so we were left to descend as best we could. When we at last arrived on the strip of shingly beach we found that they were not ablo to reach the launch. Tt was quite easily half-a-mile out. Wo were all beginning to wonder what would bo our next move when our guide told the boys to gather material for a fixe. " A signal fire," said Bob. " Good idea." So while the three of them industriously gathered firewood and set a file going on the beach, Beryl and I gathered green leaves as our guide had instructed us, so as to put on when the fire was properly going. In this way it causes the smoke, to rise in a straight column as a signal fire should. By this time wo were all feeling rather hungry. Would anyone see our signal fire ? Dusk fell, and everyone strained their eyes as they scanned the lake in search of the rescuers. " Looks as if we'll have to stay here all night," said Jack ruefully. We sat talking over the day's adventures to pass tho time, when our guide suddenly cried: — " Listen ! It sounds like a launch. Yes—there it is again." Wo all jumped excitedly to our feet and strained our ears to listen. Sure enough it was, for we-could see its faint outline as the moon popped out from behind a cloud. Cold and hunger forgotten in our excitement, wo collected our possessions and waited eagerly. The launch reached us at last and after a few minutes of wading through cold water wo were gathered in tho cabin. It seemed hours before we finally reached the wharf, very tired after our long day's adventure. Our guide took us to his home not far away, where we soon revived with hot tea and food. It was now about nine o'clock and we still had a car journey of about ten miles into Botorua. I am sut'o you will all agree with inc that wo were heartily glad when at last wo found ourselves in bed!