THE THERMAL DISTRICT OF NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1680, 11 May 1904, Page 63

THE THERMAL DISTRICT OF NEW ZEALAND

LAKE TAUPG DIVISION. (By El. H. Ingle, the Wairakei Guide, for the “New Zealand Mail.’ 7 ) Approaching the district front Pipiriki on the Wanganui River, we coach round the foot of Mount Ruapehu upon the fmoAV-crowned! summit of whdoh is to he found a crater whence by far the mightiest geyser of New Zealand plays at long, irregular intervals, hurling sand, mud and! stones over the surrounding ice and snow, sometimes {flooding the stinking sulphur-laden river Wangaeihu, carrying ’"' away some of the. weaker bridges, for this river drains the crater lake under the glaciers which have filled, up the principal crater of the mountain. We stay a night at Wairoa at the foot of the mountain and next morning start for Tokaaua, 44 miles distant, on the 'southern shores of Lake. Taupe. En route we pass the foot of Mount Ngaruhoe. an active volcano on the Tongarire Range, which is always steaming arid, frequently btow& off clouds of pumice dlust caa-riedl hy westerly winds in the direction of Napier—curious enough the Avind always is, .and has been, froan : this direction when our New Zealand volcanoes have been in emotion ,afnd are reasonably supposed to be one 'of the principal agents causing these phenomena. Precisely the same effect has been noticed lamolng the springs and geysers on' the Neiw Zealand slopes when the wind stacks up the sea in the Bay of Plenty, driving all outlets much wilder > from “Waimaaigrx” to our smallest hot springs but these 1 appear, to derive their - steam supply from shallower sources and respond more readily to the hydraulic action of the sea waves upon the coast line. Two other active craters upon the slopes of Tongariro are passed 1 , viz., “Ket-etahi” and “Te Maari,” which are always vigorously steaming, the lastnamed playing the volcano seven or eight years ago, tliroydng columns of dust • and stolnes to a height of two miles or more at intervals for many days. , ARRIVING AT TOKAAUA.

you find yourself in the Thermal District pro-pea’. Hot rrrings, bathing pools, mud boilers and one or two small geysers throwing off vapour all around you. steam even rising from the road over which you drive to Mr Blake’s Hotel for luncheon. It. is from here that many

• tourists start to ascend Tongariro and Ngamrhce, as guides and camp outfits are supplied by Mr Blake. After lunch, the - coach takes you to the s.s. “Tongariro,’' waiting -at the jetty to convey you 25 miles over Lake Taupe (12C0ft above sea level) to Taupe. Given fine weather a glorious trip it is. Especially will you enjoy the company of Captain Ryan whom you will find thoroughly up to hri business professionally, and also posseses - a remarkable personal knowledge of the country, people, native customs, lore, and local history—in fact he is One of the best albround 1 men I ever knew or met with. Upon arrival at- the Avharf you Avail find coach.es waiting to take you to “The Ten-aces Hotel,” two and a-ha!f miles, “The Spa,” two miles. “Lake Hotel” near by, or direct- to Wairakei. .six miles.Having’selected your destination you Avill find excellent country accommodation and plenty of food for body and mind. I ought to state that there are no hot births at “Lake Hotel but tlie “Spa” belongs to the same proprietor • Mr Gallagher, Avho will see you suf_v for no inconvenience upon that account, for they will drive you down Avhen required, - “Tlie Terraces Hotel” (proprietor, Mr

McKinley), situated upon the Napiecr i road, some two and a-half miles from Taupo, enjoys the distinction of being the highest situated hotel, with a!n unlimited .supply of hot A\"ater baths. in New Zealand. And Avhat beautiful baths! There aro swimming and douche temperature 105 Fah. and down-wards. The hot springs rise upon ©no of the finest terk races in the country, and in many rej; spects the mos'b remiarkable; From the balcony you obtain a magnificent view of the mountains Ruapehu, Ngaruhoe and Tongariro, and the whole of Lake Taupo (263 square miles). It is small -wonder that this is a favourite place for tourists making prolonged visit®-for their, health. Winter or summer conveyances can be obtained to convey visitors to all surrounding places of interest and plenty of boating ana

FISHING ON THE LAKE. “The Spa” (proprietor, Mr Gallagher), is snugly situated in a lovely glen originally known as “LoffleyV Glen,” with, a large creek of hot and another of cold water flowing through the beautiful grounds, about .which are dotted the

detached cottages, dining, drawing and •- smoking rooms, comprising the homestead! “The Spa” is now connected with " the telegrapli . systein of the colony ’^throughtTaupiix i One of the most fasulphur baths in the world is to be -f ound here and one can enjoy a ■v baitihe close tq the spring, where the un-.-codlcd Avaitecr .is. 135 deg. Fah., or at the •Kathleen, Hath, to ..which - the water has been earned by a flume half a. mile long. Tbero are special .baths for ladies and three very largo swimming baths four feet, six inches deep. Hot, lOldegFah., fcr.ttid, flO:ieg. Fah.y cold about 80deg Fah.,

with a heavy douche at- the outlet. The dining-room is a very fine “Maori” house profusely decorated AAdth beautiful and very valuable carvings and is capable of seating eighty people. “The Spa,” i.& undCr the management of Miss Stapleton, who looks after you like a mother, causing you to feel thoroughly at home; need I say any more. r THE SIGHTS HERBaro both numerous and interesting, situated* upoin the banks of the Waikato River. Tlie "‘Great Grown Nest Geyser” plays three or four shofa 56ffc about every one and a 'half hours, and here you may frequently see a rare sight horse®, coaa’S and sheep grazing among geysers and other thermal phenomena upon a_bea.utiful green sward of grass. Here are also to be seen “The Witchs’ Cauldron,” “Satan’s GWy,” “'Boiling Mud,” “Steaming Cliffs,” “Paddle Wheel Ben” and tAAro controllable geysers named “The Ethel and Eileen,” which unfortunately were out of action this summer owing to the unusually high level of the Waikato, AATiiich covered them, Avith many other small geysers and hot springs, withcold water, ajicl driving the steam to a geyser AAdiicih has ’been dormant, for many years, causing it to play 50 or GO feet at irregular intervals, rivalling the Nest (its next-door neighbour) in strength and beauty, thus compensating for the loss of other sights. I expect it AA'ill stop play directly the Waikato minks to its usual level. Coaches axe obtained from Crowther and McCauley’s stables at Taupo to convey viators to surrounding places of interest or to- Wairakei eh, rout© to Rotorua, Half Avay you pass close hy the celebrated Huka Falls" avhere the Waikato River is confined’t© a narrow rift in the rock about 200yds long and twenty yards wide, Avith a fall of 30ft from the top to the lower end, where the water malms a sudden leap of 20ft more, totalling some 50ft, The AA'hole is

A BEAUTIFUL AND 'GRAND' SIGHT. Wairakei, six miles from Taupo, 1350 ft above the sea (owner, Mrs Grierson and managed by Mr and Mrs Graham) is considered by all to be the cream of the Thermal District and on© of its most active centres. It is built, upon the detached principle, consisting of drawing, smoking, dining, bedrooms, post and telephone, and! coaching offices. “The Geyser House Hotel,"’ which is beautifully situated in extents! A r © and pretty gardens and well-timbered grounds in which axe found hot and cold! biaxhuu pool© unequalled in New Zealand, supplied Aoth three- million gallons of hot water every day from springs in. and around the Pirori-rori craters a.t the head of the Waiora Valley, two and' a-lialf miles distant, temperature 98 to 104 Fah., according to av ©other .and timei of year. This stream necessarily keeps the hot bath fresh and clean. The cold bath is supplied hy a. beautiful cold spring close by Avheare arum and water laßies, with trees mid other ferns, Taro and, Todea Swperba®, grow side hy side. They ’axe four feet six inches deep, separated by a five feet partition and covered by magnificent weeping willows-. There are mafny other baths in addition —covered shallow —one for timid ladies and chdl-di-ren; most of the others are douche baths from 108 to 95. Fah. ■

The estate comprises 10,000 acres and the principal sights upon it are; “The Famous Geyser Valley,” “The Waiora Valley,” “Kerapiti” or the “Devil’s Trump-et.”’ “The Huka, Falls” and! “The Ara-tia-tia Rapids.” There are many others Avotbh visiting. - “The Geyser Valley” is a veritable Avondor land, a mile distant from the hotel, where'tlie Waihararu stream flews through a deep narrow gorge about half a mite long, full of luxuriant vegetation, consisting of tree and sub-tropical ferns, mosses and lycopodiums mixed' with many beautiful varieties of manukas and bush trees. The guide will shoAV you “Terekereke,” or “The He'll Cauldron,” always boiling from four toi eight feet high.

“THE FUNNELS” are two small. cataract, geysers playing just now about every two hours, hut sometimes as frequently as every twenty minutes. These are the only geysers that change their timet —.all the rest play regularly, leo much sot. that you can set your watch by them. Fifty yards, to the north you see a beautiful cataract, geyser called, the “Red Cora] or Petrifying Geyser,” playing at intervals of twmty'-fi.v® minutes and) depositing- sinter similar to the famous Pink Terraces of liobomaliana:; near the foot of this terrace is the “Artists? Pool,” so named be cause the whole cluster with the luxuriant growth of ferns, mosses', etc. form® a fine subject for the painter. Fifty yard® tot the west of Terekereke we come upon: a lovely terrace, where the following geysers are found and viewed from the Natural Bridge, where seats are erected: “The Twins,” “The Prince of .Wales’s Feather,” “The Indicator” and the arrow 1 geysers. Here are also the “Crystal Pool” and “The Boilers.” 'The Big Brother” of “The Twins”- plays through 16ft of water every four minutes from four to thirty feet, according to the assistance rendered by his next and nearest neighbours. The Little Brother, or Paddle Wheel, plays through 3ft of water every fifteen minutes and it. is very interesting to notice liow they affect each other and both are affected by the Prince of Wale® and Red Coral Geysers. “The Prince of Wales’ .Feather” plays twenty-five minutes after visitors? arrival, for owing toy the fact

that one of its plumes falls over our path w© must keep it under control to prevent accidents. The fountain is divided into two plumes hy a petrified tree root, across the outlet, spreading it, out in a. fan—--B'Ofb Avid© and 46ft high, and it looks magnificent especially if the sun, is shining. . “THE INDICATOR” plays eight or ten feet three times before the “Prince,” hence its name. “The Arrow” plays 20ft every half hour. The Avhole terrace is a mass of si Heated and petrified trees and Avould make a splendid ornament for a nobleman’s park. Next Ave pass a very active boiler called ‘Satan’s Toll Gate,” Avhen av© reach the “Eagles’ Nest Geyser,” rather small but very pretty, playing every thirty minutes through a mass of tree branches thickly coated vvith semi-transparent siticioms sintier of the siaane composition as the famous “White Terralce” , of Rotomaliana. On av© go to the steaming cliffs Avhere you see the action of condensing steam upon many kinds of stones (crystalline and day stones) reducing them to Fuller’s Earth, completely disguising their original natur e and condi-: tion. Here you obtain a grand view of the Champagne Pool and Terrace upon the opposite side of the creek. Further on we come to the “Blue Pool,” one of the prettiest sights in the valley; next av© see til© “Mud Boilers” or “Porridge Pots,” where you may learn many lessons in geometry and the action of condensing steam upon solid rock. The. next, sight is the “Great, Wairakei Geyser,” on til© opposite bank of the creek, playing for two minutes of every twelve to a height varying from 35ft to 50ft, for it has a series of three displays owing to the effect of “THE CHAMPAGNE POOL,” as they are connected; if*you see the high play at one, you see the low play at the other and vice versa. Some hundred yardb higher up the valley we find another active cluster. The “Dragon’s Mouth” geyser plays every nine minutes; tire sinter deposits are extremely beautiful both in form ami colour, being all shades from, scarlet to white. Many of the visitors Avalk through the geyser crater during quiescence. Just below the “Dragon's Mouth,” close by the creek, is the “Lightning Pool,” Avhere you see balls of steam quit the rock and condense before reaching the surface of to© water, wliich is five feet deep. The guide generally shows an experiment with this geyser demonstrating geyser action which everyone grasps at one©. Here are 1 also the “Little Red,” “Black” and “Yellow” geysers, where you l-earn to track a body of steam eleven yards long passing under all three, causing then to play two t© four feet) high, which led to the discovery of the earth’s circulating system since followed over the whole earth. We now know that the steam is always circulating from the equator to the poles in hoth hiemiisiphernes, and! know its speed, even as the blood circulates through animal bodies and performs similar offices to its being. Back we go by the “Great Wairakei Geyser” and Avatch his pla.y and that of the “Donkey Engine” and “The Little Wairakei” beside him, moving on then to THE “CHAMPAGNE POOL,” the finest eight of all a cauldron 80ft .deep and about 60ft across., boiling every four, five and nine minutes and every 27 minutes playing up fifteen feet or over. This is the liigh pressure, valve for the valley as the three geysers in the canter have 2 toms 2 ©Wt pier square foot pressure to play against and none of the others have anything like that work to do. HOME FOR LUNGH. “The Wairoa Valley.”—There are no geysers- in this valley, but I ©an best describe it as the laboratory of the estate. This is the valley whence the abundant supply of hot bath water is derived from the craters at tlie head of the valley. The valley is full cf beautiful -Coloured pools and lakes- — green, red, brown, blue and yellow, clear and dirty. The l top spring of all is the beautiful “Blue Lake.” surrounded by white oliffsj striped, red and luxuriant vegetation. “Kerapiti” or the “Devil’s Trumpet,” is ,a steam bole 22 inches by 18 inches and from this outlet is alwavs roaring a jet of steam that can bei seen 75 miles aAvay upon a suitable day. This is the only example of tin's form of thermal discharge of any magnitude that visitors.have the opportunity of inspecting. It is a very impressive sight* and explains AA'hat any geyser or mud holler AVould bo Avliem nothing at its mouth represses the steam.

THE ARA-TTA-TIA RAPIDS. are considered the finest cold water scene in the North Island. They are situated upon the Waikato River some three miles below the hotel, a!nd here' the river rushes with terrific roar down a zig-zag course through wild, rifted rock.® clothed with beautiful bush and falling about 150 ft in about half' a-mite, forming a scene of turmoil and trouble difficult to describe but never forgotten. The Waikato River and Lake Taupe teem with trout and is'oine splendid baskets have been taken last season and this, some fish running up to 171 b; the Wairakei average for last season was six and a-half pounds. Remarks from me respecting the value of this country as a tourist resort or holiday resort for these

in search of health and rest Avould he superfluous; ask anyone who has been and Aye AA’ill abide by their answer. But its value as an educator t© the rising or existing generation-far exceedis its value as above. This is the country that, the teaching staff of the colony at any rate should have an opportunity of visiting for the study of many forms of natural and all forms of Thermal La,AV. Geology and numerology—how precious or other metals are originally deposited, recollected and rectified by the natural process, I can best describe as'“repeated cl Ist illation.” Hosts of other lessons are to be learnt here and! the key found to* far more extended in instigation and research. “Tlie Giant Waimatngu,” Waiotapu and Rotorua must stand o\ r er for some future paper.