WANDERINGS IN WONDERLAND.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12145, 7 April 1908, Page 7

WANDERINGS IN WONDERLAND.

(BY A TRAVELLER.;)

(Concluded J

When avu return from Wairoa we set off to the i' airy Spring, about which we have hear a a good deal, but know nothing. A drive of a.couple of miles brings us to a gate on a small hill beyond which is a hut. In. the doorway of the hut a venerable Maori is sitting cross-legged like a Turk. As we' approach, he rouses himself" and conies towards us. This, we think, must be the guide who is to lead us to the fairy dell or whatever it may be. Wje~-ask him if he is the guide and'lieTnocfs his head. "How much do you charge?" we query, but'the ancient tongue is apparently a fixture for the old man merely jerks his thumb in the direction of a notice board, which tells us that a toll of sixpence must be paid. We proffer the money, Avhich is quickly grabbed by the enioma, who, without a word,.begins th rc^v-i journey to his hut. We fo-'l 1 eh o ose the old gentleman's cntert I -.ng company so quickly and try to attract him in order that we may at least learn where we are to find the spring. Beyond pointing to a track, however, th© guide will have none of us. He stands .at the gate and, with parrot-like monotony,, cries " Kakino kakino."' Whether it b3 he, we, or the spring, or the world generally, he is referring to we know not. We do not stop to inquire, but descendl the track for about 50 yards and' achieve the object of our quest. Almost hidden by koninis is a little pool, the floor composed of fine sand which assumes all the colours imaginable. Here and there the sand seems to be gently boiling, this! effect being produced by springs of water. The pool is alive -with trout, which have b?ra evidently well schooled in. the devouring of bread, for as we throw pieces into the water the fish come t-~. the surface fl-nd Greedily devour them. A melancholy domestic htm and olio of her offspring linger on the edge-in tbe hop.? of securing- so-me stray crumbs. Bnt the hope is vain. Leaving the Fairy Spring, we make our way back to the tran, an-l as we drive away we hear our queer old Maori, now aii-p-arpiitlv quite nleased with .himself, still crying "Kakino. ka-kino.: ..._ Next day we visit weird and wonderful Wliakarewarewa, • and this -time form portion of 'jniy family" as Maggie describes the long string who follow her. . We are shown 'Maggie's whare, and the mementos she has received from distinguished tourists. Then we are onca again shown the sights described in a previous article. To-day the sun is "shining' and Rotorua's visitors are dressed in their gayest. Afternoon tearooms are in full swing and everything is bright and cliesrful. ' Very different is the picture to that which' Whakarewiarewa presented on tho .occasion of our previous visit. Little brown piekininiiies are amusing the visitors by divine* from the bridge for pennies—or, rather^ for threepences—the penny seekers hzing the urchins already in the water. They appear as much at home in the water as do th»-> fish, and as they dive and ,swim they reap a bcunteotis harvest. '

• Our. last day at Rotorua arrives, and we crowd- into it as much) sight-seeing as ."possible. In the morning we set'off on .a tour of inspection of Ohine.mu.tu, the old Maori township on the shores of Rotorua. It is evidently "wash- day" and- Aye havo an. opportunity of,.witnessing Maori washerwomen at work. Here are two squatting by the side of. a boilnig pool. Theyvare supplied with tubs, into winch they have iladled the necessary supply from tbsir never-failing .^•■^Pp^'-^They apparently have not, a :%pWT^in;;^o world- and as they mani-vM^i^'^l^fl'-^^fe-.-'^ar-d 'their; laughter, pird-^iati^^ftlW^-i© aii-0 Herfe=corned couple; of toddlers Avho ; signify their.' Avillingiiess W-'fTaacir.'a'fifaica .fora penny. "Haka penny'r^|^:?^ a§:JJiey,pur&ue us % and so persistenti-are'they 'that^a penny is one© more forthcoming. These and other incidents add variety to our visit. Obinemut-u is particularly inter-, esting. It is a village of antiquity, and in it have lived some of the great Maori chiefs whose names figure laa-gely in history. ,It has passed throuah times of peril, and to-day a portion "of it lies bsneath the surface of the lake. On that terrifying earthquake night, part of the village sank, and to-day posts jutting/out of the water mark its resting place. There: are still to be many relics of old-time Maori life and customs, but the old order is changing. ancD civilisation is making its mark on house andl land. In no part of Rotorua are th© natural wonders more myst&rious than in o'iinemutu. The proximity of hot and cold water is remarkable, especiaJly the flats near, the railway line, a wire fence in some places being the only apparent division. On the shores 'of the lake hot water is bubbling, while'even some, distance from' the bftach the same sight may be seen bv.thos-3 who look into* t-ie clear, shining* water. Ohinemutu interests us greatly, and ays spe.id' the moriiins very enj-oyably.

After luncli a party make their way t» tlie jetty where a launch is awaitingus. Our destination is Haniurana, .arid the wary_ past' Mokoia Island. Arrive:! at the historic island', we roam over its woody shores, and view the bathwwhy?ey? Hinemoa sported' herself. Then we set ■off for Hamurana and again we revel in its beautirs. Afternoon tea follows, and We return, to Rotor ua. A brisk breeze has arise"i and our little launch makes a pns-ago which is full of life. Next morning" our narty disirevees. one going iil. oiK! direction, one in, another. Farewells which may be for years and may be for ever arc said, ;iml- in a few minutes Rotor u:i has vanished from sight. . Four days are spent iii the Queen city. The weather is atrocious, but the time passes aii too quickly as we renew cherished acquaintanceships of previous days. On a lov-ely marning, with Auckland smiling in all her glory, we begin to retract our .steps homewards. Tau.maran.ui is reached in due 'course, and poaring rain makes cheerless the prospect o'i the long-looked-forward-to trqi on the Wanganui river. At an early hour next morning a knock at our door awakens us from blissful dreams, and we are horrified to hear rain still falling. Fortune, however, is more kind than is her custom, for there is a partial cessation of the rainfall, and we are enabled to begin our journey with a ■fair measure of comfort. The river party number aoout twenty, and we sally out in the drizzle and the mist to the starting point. Here, moored to tke bank, are a number of boats and canoes, the latter being fitted with oil engines. It it no easy matter to satisfactorily trim the two canoes in which we arc- to make the journey, but eventu-1 ally Mr. Harris is satisfied, and he sends us off. An interesting spectacle it is. Stationed in the bow of each canoe is a Maori armed, with a long pole, with which he wards the craft bit' dangerous looking rocks. At the tiller is tho steersman, who keeps a vigilant eye on the various rapids and signals to tho engineer by means of a whistle, whether to " slack her, stop her, or go astern." These orders have to be instantly put into effect, for as the canoe shoots along the rapidly flowing water the least delay or error would be fatal. Tho passengers are pictures. Each shelters beneath an umbrella and all the rugs and tarpaulins which can be brought into requisition. The experience is certainly novel, and will be remembered when the more prosaic steamer journey is forgotten. Our canoe

leads the way, and as we look back we see the other flying down a rapid like a steaming dragon, the exhaust from the x oil engine folloAving in a wierdly avohderful way. Ten miles doAvn the river AA-e change into the Otonui, in which we have a pleasant trip to the Houseboat, which pleasant and comforting sight meets our eyes shortly after 12 o'clock. We have dinner on board, and delighted. Everything is very nice, tho luncheon being excellent and the attention all that can be desired. Leaving the houseboat we board the steamer Wakapai, and reach Pipiriki just after dark. Pipiriki house is our next stopping place, and here Aye enjoy all the com" iorts a city hotel could supply. At six o'clock next morning we go on board the Waimarie, and after an interesting trip arrive in Wangahui at 12 o'clock. Wliat is to be said of the scenery on the river? It is indescribably grand. But Nature has been too lavish. In ten or fifteen miles she has so feasted the traveller that, could he depart there and then, his song of praise Avould never cease. But his capacity to assimilate beauty is limited, and he becomes wearied. The trip from Taumaranui to Wanganui is one which will never be regretted, and the magnificence which comes under reA'iew will never be forgotten.

Now " Wanderings in Wonderland" come to an end, and Aye say to our readers, as we regretfully said to our fellow travellers, " Good-bye."