CHAPTEB XXVIIL

Otago Witness, Issue 878, 26 September 1868, Page 18

CHAPTEB XXVIIL

After toiling up a rugged and steep ascent, encumbered with blocks of grey stone, of which the island seemed to be formed, forcing his way over fallen trees and through the tangled undergrowth of a species of wild vine, which abounded on the mountain side, Hazel stopped to breathe and peer around, as well as the dense foliage permitted. He was up to his waist in scrub, and the stiff leaves of the bayonet plant rendered caution necessary in walking. At moments, through the dense foliage, he caught a glisten of the sea. The sun was in the north behind him, and by this alone he guided his road due southerly and upward. Once only he found a small cleared space about an acre in extent, and here it was he uttered the cry Helen heard. He waited a few momenta in the hope to hear her voice in reply, but it did not reach him. Again, he plunged upward, and now the ascent became at times so arduous that more than once he almost resolved to relinquish, or, at least to defer his task ; but a moment's rest recalled him to himself, and he was one not easily baffled by difficulty or labour, so he toiled on until he judged the summit ou^ht to have been reached. After pausing to take breath and counsel, he fancied that he had borne too much to the left, the ground to his right appeared to rise more than the path that he Va3 pursuing, which had become level, and he concluded, that, instead of ascending, he was circling the mountain top. He turned aside, therefore, and after ten minutes' hard climbing he was pushing through a thick and hi<,'h scrub, when the earth seemed to give way beneath, and he fell— into an abyss.

He was engulphed. Pie fell from bush to bush — down — down — scratch — rip — > plump ! until he lodged in a prickly bush more winded than hurt. Out of this he crawled, only to discover himself thns landed in a great and perfectly circular plain of about thirty acres in extent, or about 350 yards in diameter. In the centre was a lake, also circular ; the broad belt of shore around this lake was covered with rich grass, level as a bowling green, and all this again was surrounded by a nearly perpendicular cliff, down which indeed he had fallen : this cliff was thickly- clothed with shrubs and trees. Hazel recognised the crater of an extinct volcano.

On examining the lake he found the waters impregnated with volcanic products. Its bottom was formed of asphaltum. Having made a circuit of the shores, he perceived on the westerly side — that next the island— a break in the cliff ; and on a narrow examination he discovered an outlet. It appeared to him that the lake at one time had emptied its waters through this ancient watercourse. The descent here was not only gradual, but the old river bed was tolerably free from obstructions, especially of the vegetable kind. He made his way way rapidly downwards, and in half an hour reached marshy ground. The cane brake now lay before him. On his left he saw the sea on the south, about a third of a mile. He knew that to the right must be the sea on the north, about half a mile or so. He bent his way thither. The edge of the swamp was very clear, and though somewhat spongy, afforded good walking unimpeded. As he approached the spot where he judged the boat to be_, the underwood thickened, the trees again interlaced their arms, and he had to struggle through the foliage. At length he struck the smaller lagoon, and as he was not certain whether it°was fordable, he followed its conrse to the shore, where he had previously crossed. In a few moments he reached the boat, and was pleased to find her afloat. The rising tide had even moved her a few feet back into the canal.

Hazel shouted to apprise Miss Rolleston of his return, and then proceeded to restore the mast to its place, and replace the rigging and the oars. This occupied some little time. He felt surprised that she had not appeared. He shouted again. No reply.