A GRAPHIC NARRATIVE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2856, 9 December 1908, Page 30

A GRAPHIC NARRATIVE.

AUCKLAND, December 4. A Star message despatched from Whakatane at 11.J.5 a.m." states that the earthquakes this morning Jiave been in ' quicker succession than previously, but have been decreasing in strength. Three sharp shocks have been experienced within the last hour. White Island, which for the last lew days has been practically inactive, was unusually active again this morning, which is reassuring, as White Island is considered to be a vent for volcanic activity. The auxiliary ketch Albatross had a remarkable experience at Ohiwa on Sunday night, and evidently felt the disturbance of the Whakatane earthquakes. The experiences of the crew on the Sunday night were graphically described this morning to a Star representative. " The first heavy shock came just as we had got into our bunks on Sunday night," he said, " and it startled us considerably to feel the boat jumping about alongside .the wharf on a calm night. Between Sunday night and Tuesday there must have been about a dozen shocks, but nothing further of much account happened until Tuesday. Just about breakfast-time I was looking over , the eide at the time to see if there was enough water for us to go out. Th*en all of a sudden the boat lurched heavily on I the water, and began to rock about vioJ lently. The wharf sepiued to me, lookJ ing up at it, to be coming right down on the ship. The vessel creaked loudly, and everything on board was badly jerked about. There were no more chocks until ■we left." In reply to a question as to the appearance of Whale Island as observed on the homeward voyage, the reporter was informed that this appeared to be much as usual "We passed fairly close to it on the l?ndward side," he said, " and we could see, I suppose, about 100 goats, which did not appear to be alarmed in the least. There were, at any rate, no signs of eruption. Passing between the ioland and the shore, however, the vessel went through a lot of curiouslycoloured water, such as might corce from springs. Wo could ccc it bubbling up '-iolently in one place, just for all the

" world dike the crude oil at the TaranaH wells, all thick *nd of a dirty brown. When we were going up to Ohiwa oa Saturday White fchdfa was irery active, and was spouting out . clouds of black smoke. Generally the smoke is ail -wMte, ■with a thin -streak of black, feut th» waa almost all black." The s.s. Tasman arrived "from Whakatane at 2.35 p.m. to-day, and tronght < additional of I%e disturbances on Whale Island. In conversation - with two of the passengers a Star -reporter learned that the clouds which lave been observed over White Island are generally believed %y all ■who -voyaged -round the island -on the Tasman yesterday to have been due to land slips, and nothing else. Xhexe was no sign of » volcanic outbreak, and the generally accepted idea is -that the doud was wholly composed of dust. .Nothing else mnusuai was observed, and altibough iraee =andoubteily like steam from the mainland, *-tbe -vißtt-' to tins inland tLs "to have dispelled- «H fear of «n .eruption. The -residents, of Wivaiatane .are etated to- be somewhat nervaus as ito "the result .should, further earthquakes occur. 'No. damage has yet been done, jbut- the ieavy shock of Tuesday morning ' 4ast aroused^uude% to a fairly ttigh pitch. Another sharp «hock "was experienced -on Tuesday evening, -and throughout the night the residents scarcely had a chance to sleep. Gn the voyage baok to Auckland yesterday afternoon the discoloura.tion of =the water was very noticeable, but this is put down to the slips on WinUe Island, which, although not in, themselves of very large -extent, are a good / -way down the slopes. Some surprise .is \ indeed expressed at the unusual effects in the -prater for the size of the slips! One of the officers of :fhe Tasman also expressed, his opinion from observations on yesterday's cruise that the clouds are ■due to slips, and that no other signs of thermal action axe noticeable. At 11 a.m. yesterday another 4ieavy yellow cloud, -trapposedlv -of dust, was observed hanging over/Whale bland. On Monday (the officer stated) White Island showed unusual activity, throwing out thick black smoke. Yesterday, however, nothing unusual was witnessed. Tuesday morning's shock is stated to be the heaviest felt ia . the district since 1866.