THE VOLCANIC DISTRICT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 753, 6 August 1886, Page 12

THE VOLCANIC DISTRICT.

FIRE AT ROTOITI. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Rotoiti, July 30. The Native schoolhouse at Rotoiti was totally desroyed by fire* at 6 a.m The fire first broke out in the schoolroom, Major Wood, the teacher narrowly escaped, losing all his clothes, medals and effects. The building was an old one, having been sixteen years standing. A TOURIST MISSING. (united press association.) Rotorua, July 30. Mr R. M. Cotton, of Lake Coleridge, Canterbury, who with his wife arrived here yesterday afternoon, and put up at the Palace Hotel, has been missing since 5 o’clock last night. Diligent and efficient search was kept up all night, but no trace can be found of him to day. Search parties are befog organised, and rewards offered. Every possible means are being used, and a number of Natives are now searching. It appears, after Cotton came out of the blue bath, he returned to Uppertown, and went into Mrs Morrison’d hotel for a short time. lu3tead of going on to his own hotel, he wound his way down to Brent’s boardinghouse, from where he was directed back to the Palace Hotel. This was the last seen of him.

Auckland, July 30

The following are further particulars concerning the missing < Canterbury tourist at Rotorua, Mr A. M. Cotton, engineer. At daybreak this morning the search was resumed, a number or horsemen being out, aud a large number of Natives, induced by a reward of £2O offered by the Government Agent (Mr Johnston), and a further sum of £lO offered by Mrs Cotton. The unfortunate man’s footsteps can be traced on the racecourse and for some distance down the Whakarewarewa track, and in other places, bat up to the time of writing he himself has not been found. It was at first believed he mu3t have either fallen into a boiling epriDg or crawled into the scrub, and in his weak condition succumbed to the exposure, but a Maori has discovered Lis tracks, five miles along the Taupo road, and there is still hope that he may yet be found alive. Horsemen have gone out. G r eat sympathy is felt for Mrs Cotton. A search party has just arrived to-night from the Taupo road.. Tracks were distinctly traced for a dozen miles, and were then lost in the fern on the back of Waikaukau Creek at Horohoro. Another search will be made to-morrow.

MORE BODIES FOUND. Auckland, July 30. Yesterday two bodies, those of a Native woman and girl, were recovered from the volcanic mud at Wairoa. Attention was first drawn to the spot by the action of a dog, and on digging the bodies were found. They were Jdencified as those of Mirata and Uriti, mother and daughter, the bodies being pretty well preserved. It appears the girl had been ill, for some time before the eruption, and when escaping with her mother got tired and had to rest cn the way. Though Mirata might have Baved herself by leaving her daughter, sbe did not do so, but stayed by her. The sequel is eloquently told by the attitudes in which the bodies were found, the mother sitting clasping the girl in her arms for support. ASCENT OF TARAWERA. Auckland, July 30. Mr Lundin3 has just come in from the Rotomahana volcanoes to Rotorua. He has been engaged with the Assistant SurveyorGeneral, Mr Percy Smith, for the last few days in taking altitudes, the weather being highly favorable. They camped one night at the foot of Tarawera Mountain with a tentfly only over their heads, and the bare sand as a bed. They found plenty of good raiu water in pools, but not a stick of firewood to cook anything with. Next morciug they ascended Tarawera Mountain, and succeeded in getting to the utmost summit of Ruawahi, the very h'ghest point of all, where no one has yet been. They found that the mountain was split right in two, the gap measuring in some places about five chains across. A long continuous line of this extended right from Wahanga to Okaro Lake, broken only by a few chains between Ruawahi and Rotomahana. The volcanic action was very feeble, but the fume 3 proceeding from this chasm were very pungent and stifling. A good view of Ohinemutu was obtained from this point. Mr Spencer, a photographer, accompanied the party, and succeeded in obtaining some excellent and valuable negatives, one of which will show the great rift on the extreme summit of Ruawahi. Auckland, July 31. The following are fuller particulars of the ascent of Tarawera by Mr Percy Smith’s survey party. They reached the top of Tarawera about midday on the 28th instant, the party consisting of eight persons. They left the main camp at Parehaiu Bush at 8 on the morning of the 27th, carrying blankets and a tent-fly for campiDg out. They crossed the mud to the foot of Hapa-o-Tarea, and then skirting round the north side of the main eruption reached Tarawera Lake above what used to be Te Ariki, of which no trace was to be seen, everything being buried by the mud. All about Te Ariki the mud was very soft, and the party had great difficulty in crossing. Two of them here diverged, and visited the point reached by the Star expedition, and saw their marks. They then proceeded to the foot of Tarawera, but finding it too late to ascend the mountain that day decided to camp. The rest of the day was spent in examining a large rent in the earth from the foot of Tarawera to where the White Terrace was. Considering that the party slept on the mud, and had no fire, the night was passed very comfortably. Next morning, at 8, the ascent was taken. When about 700 feet up Professor Thomas’ mark was reached. The ascent was rather steep, but there was good walking. Jets of steam were met with here, and these were highly charged with hydrochloric acid. The top of Tarawera was reached by 10. Then it wa3 seen that the three mountains—l ar .wera, Ruawahia, and WahaDga—are split in two from end to end by an euormsus chasm almost 10 chains wide and 12 deep. The way in which the solid rocks are split and reDt is very remarkable. The mountain has also added to its height 100 feet or more. After staying an hour on the top, the party descended and reached the main track at Parereka Bush by 5.30 in the evening. Auckland, August 4. The Assistant Surveyor-General iatends to re-visit the summit of Ruawahia, as volcanic action is dying out. He purposes descending the great rift in Tarawera, the only danger aiiticipated being from the stifling fumes coming through the crevices. He will endeavor to fix tbe spot on which the White Terrace stood, which has not yet been decidedly determined. MR COTTON FOUND. (from our own CORRESPONDENT.) Rotorua, July 31.. Mr Cotton has been found, aud brought in by Mr Dansey, who came on him about 15 miles from Rotorua on the Taupo-road. after all the other searchers had left for Rotorua.