THE ASCENT OF TARAWERA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1540, 3 August 1886, Page 3

THE ASCENT OF TARAWERA.

Mr Percy Smith's saryey party reached the top of Tarawera about midday on the 28th inst.. The party, consisting of eight person*, left the main camp at Parereka bash at eight o'clock on the morning of the 27th, carrying blankets and a tent fly for camping out. They crossed the mud to the foot of the Hapu of Tarea, and then skirting round the north side of the main eruption reached the lake above what used to be Te Ariki, of which no trace was to be peen, everything being buried by the mud. All about Te Anki the mud was rery Boft, and the party had great difficulty in crossing. Two of them here diverged and visited the point reached by the Star expedition, ■ and saw their marks. They then proceeded to the top of Tarawera ; but finding it too late to ascend the mountain that day decided to camp. The rest of the day wbb spent in examining ' the Urge rent in the earth from the foot of Tarawera to where the White Terrace was. Considering that the party slept on mad and had no fire, the night was passed very comfortably. Next morning at eight the ascent wsa commenced. About 700 ft up Professor Thomas's mark wai reached. The ascent was rather steep, but good walking. Jets of steam were met with here and there, and were found to be highly charged with hydrochloric acid. The top of Tarawera was reached by ten. Then it was Been that the three mountains, Tarawera, Kuawahia, and Wahanga, are split in two from end to end by an enormous chasm, almost ten cnaiw wide and twelve deep. Th« way in which solid rocks are rent and split is very remarkable. The mountain has also Added to its height 100 ft or more. After staying an hour on the top, the party descended, and reached the main track at Parereka bush by 5.80 in the evening.