THE VOLCANIC ERUPTION.

Poverty Bay Independent, Volume II, Issue 171, 10 July 1886, Page 2

THE VOLCANIC ERUPTION.

Rotorua, Friday

Mr Hutton tried to reach Mount Tarawera on the eastern side, but could not get within ten miles. He saw a right on the top of Tarawera, ana believes he saw two lava streams.

MEETING OF THE NATIVES. A large number of the Tapuika natives from Maketu arrived at Rotorua on Thursday, for the ostensible purpose of condoling with the Tuhourangi tribe, and they made presentations of several tons of potatoes and a handsome sum of £3O in cash. The whole of the night was occupied in discussing various plans for the future, and the welfare of the Tuhourangi tribe. Tapuika insisted upon their coming to squat on a portion of the Rangiuru Block, but theNgatiwhakaue objected, stating that there must first be a meeting of all the Araawas, and that the universal consent of the whole of the tribe must be obtained. The Ngatiwhakaue are as jealous as possible of any interference with their distressed neighbours, and evidently wish to have the fostering and welfare of this people left entirely to themselves. It is indeed an admirable trait in the Maori character to observe such love and affection existing one tribe towards another in distress.

The superstitious feeling as regards the calamity is very predominant amongst the Maoris.

Messengers are expected from Tc Kooti, who will enlighten them for the future, and divulge the secret cause of the recent visitation. There are happily, however, a number amongst the natives who attribute it to the real cause, and look down with contempt upon any human being who would have the assurance to set himself up as a prophet. There was only one earthquake felt at Rotoiti on Wednesday night, and only one little tremor here.

Tarawera appears very quiet, just a little steam appearing over the hills. The following extract is from Mr Percy Smith's report laid on the table of the House of Representatives : “ The next point of eruption is on the line of Rotomahana itself. Here the most wonderful alterations have taken place, changing a placid lake into a roaring crater, from which rises a column of steam, probably a mile in width. This grand column of steam, like a mass of cumulus clouds, ascends to over 15,000 feet (15,480 feet measured by climometer), but the top of the column could not be seen. The western side of the crater at present can alone be studied, as the ashes and sand are too deep to admit of a journey to the eastern side. It has, as it were, travelled by the southward and westwards from the shore of the former lake, a distance ..1 over half-a-mile, the southern side being immediately at the foot of the high hill called Te Hapa o Tora, which will be remembered as standing behind the Pink Terrace, the spot where was once situated the most beautiful object in the world. The White Terrace is now, I believe, occupied by a crater, forming a sort of horseshoe bay inside of the crater of Rotomahana, and from which a vast column of steam arises and joins the general mass above. I wish I could write positively on this point, but, as already pointed out, the shape and contour of the ground is so altered by the mass of ejected master that exact localities can’t at present be identified. Should this horseshoe crater hereafter prove to be not exactly where the White Terrace stood, it is at anyrate quite close to it, and the exact position does not affect the question as to whether the Terraces are in existence or not. They have either been buried de p under stones and sand, or have sunk into the main crater. The Pink Terraces were in such a situation as to be at least a quarter of a mile within the margin of the present crater, and no eye can penetrate through the dense steam to ascertain their fate. Occasional breaks in this dense veil allow of momentary glances into the crater, but for no great distance, and the sight disclosed is one of horror. A dim, brownish twilight, making everything of a hideous hue, enabl ?s one to see a dreadful mass of boiling mud, black and brown in color, with seething pools of steaming water or liquid mud, sometimes cast up into fumarole ejecting steam, at other vomiting forth stones and mud with a noise like the roar of innumerable steam engines. From time to time the more active rents along the margin after a prolonged roar, or a sharper detonation like that of a cannon, shoot forth high into the air large bodies of stone, sand, and mud which generally fall back from whence they came.”