A NEW LAKE.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 4871, 24 January 1903, Page 4

A NEW LAKE.

An old lake is Waikaremoann, but now Io tin, tourist. At the same time., there aro amongst us some regular tourists who by dint of annual revisits to many’ of our holiday resorts, have taken the original bloom off their enjoyment. Those occasionally sigh for a new sensation, like the millionaire in the story, who starved in tho midst of tho plenty of a luxurious table for lack of a now dish. Fortunately, their aspirations can now bo fulfilled. Y aikaroinoana is now easily accessible to lue tourist. Tie lore many years tho beautiful lake of Tuhoe-laml will be reached by rend from Rotorua, and will thou bo one of tbo resorts of tho third principal tourist route of the North Island—that from Rotorua to tho -cast Coa.st, by Galatea and the heart of the I'rewcir.. country, over tho ranges of Huia-rau, Mannga-Pohutu, and round tho Lake Waikarcmoana. At present that route is practicable for tho robust traveller who is well at home on horseback, and can, when required, do a few miles afoot over deep gorges, slippery sideling:, and bold spurs. But tho ordinary tourist, who travels on wheels, and is a stickler far regularity and punctuality and .all tho virtues of a complicated civilisation, must go to Waikarcmoana by Napier. Four hours’ steaming from tiio breakwater city across Hawkif Bay takes him to tho Wairoa (Clyde), and for tho thirty miles to tiio lake there is a regular coach service by the road which follows the Wairoa to its junction at Frasortown with tho Yai~ karc-Taheko river, and does the rest of tho journey by tho side of that stream, which is tho outlet for the waters of tho lake. On the lake shore, in a glorious commanding position, there is a fine accommodation house, built by, tho Government, and a broad road has boon made round tho lake to tho point where tho old Maori track cornea down from tho Huia-rau. -■ ’ Tho lake is worthy cf its name, Waikarcmoana. which signifies the “ sea of tho sparkling waters.” It has another name, which also is appropriate, via., “the Star Lake.” Probably the first grow up among tho original inhabitants of Tuhoe-land who lived on tho picturesque shore, and fished, sported and fought on its deep blue waters. Tho second is tb ought to have been bestowed by tho stranger, who first, from some lofty peak of Tuhoe, caught sight ox tho. lake of many arms shipiug blue out of tho depths of tho wooded hills. Tho lako is 2015 ft above sea level, and is divided into two basins—Waikaromoana. 84.0 ft deep, and Wairau-Moana, shallower by 500ffc; tho two joined by tho Strait of Manaia. which is of a regular breadth of half a mile. The coast-line, so deep and numerous aro tho inlets, reaches tho total of fifty miles; there aro many islands, exquisitely wooded, and tho scenery around is of many varieties. Hero it is a prospect cf far-rcaahing blue waters, with tho spurs bringing tho forest gently down from tho groat ranges to tho broad, blue surface; there, a placid bay made glorious with tho most enchanting of nature’s traceries. Vast cliffs of extraordinary and varied formation catch the eye; big hlulfs, beaches of gleaming white, low shores, 'with open rim • her—all aro passed in their turn. The elevation ensures an ideal summer climate, and there is nob a pleasanter' place for a week’s “ camping out ” in all Now Zealand. The forest is full of birds, tho place is a haunt of waterfowl ; and tho rivers—some thirty flow into the lake —aro full of trout of tho rainbow variety. Waterfalls aro as common hero as blackberries in tho English lanes in tho autumn, and there is a smaller lako perched up 600 ft higher among tiio mountains. This is a marvel of soft beauty, of the sylvan order, full of islands and islets, green and feathery. Tho hills aro reverently parted on either side, as if anxious not to tarnish the exquisite mirror of the surface of Waikare-iti. When Waikarcmoana is high, the waters rush in a foaming cascade, with tho deep voice that belongs to cataracts, out into tho outlet of Waihekc, through tho rout in the cliffs of Oncpoto. When the lake is low, tho only escape is through subterranean channels. At intervals, springs of vast volume may bo seen entering tho lake many fathoms beneath the blue surface.

Historically, the interest is great. It begins with the days of the aboriginal inhabitants, who considered themselves, literally, the “ Children of the Mist.” It passes on to the Maori times, in which Tub 00-land was sown with a million legends, of which all 'are today alive. It is strong about the time when To Kooti made the rocky fastness of Maunga-Pohutu his stronghold, from which ho organised raids on the settlements north and south of the wild stack of mountains known as the Urewera country. It follows the footsteps of that painful warrior from Mohaka, when, red with massacre, he swept the loot of a whole district before him into 'the Waikaxemoana country; and it

glows on tbo banks of the Strait of Manaia, tv-hero he swam the iiorses he ha<l captured over the ]akc, for service in tho north country. It glows also where cho outlaw lay hid under the crags above the bluff cf Ohiriugi—tho bluff which gives a stern physiognomy to much of the lake —after Herrick had failed to co-oporato with Whitmore and St. John, and so let him cut of tho trap so ably set for him. It rises from t-ko front of lluia-rr.il, telling cf the 4L;ne when Whitmore xdannod his; famous invasion, and of the later days, when Porter, with liopata and Kemp, followed the raider into his fastnesses and drovo him forth. Later cn, it accompanies Hr Seddon on his famous inarch over Haia-rau, is with him in his narrow cscapo on tho lake, in his conference with tho chiefs of Tuhou, and subsequently when ho reaped flic fruits in tho meeting in Wellington’ at which tho chiefs agreed to surrender their country as a great National Park, and submit to tho Queen’s writ. Hero is a country with an interesting story, as fascinating as tho scenery of which tho lako “without an equal”—another of its famous names —is the beautiful centre..