To Rotorua and Book.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 415, 28 April 1904, Page 5

To Rotorua and Book.

■-T::/ (By" ~ •:,. ; (Oentißued), .'*; '.About two miles away is the far famed Lake Kotomahana, on the borders of which were at oca time the pinkand white terraces, but were destroyed by the Tarawera eruption. Oiir party returned in a disconsolate mood, out a visitor from Sydney pre* ferred to stay a night in the shelter shed. He stated that be left Sydney with tbe intention of seeing this geyser, and if he had to stay a week he would not return without having a view of it. Luck was in his way, as Waimangu played about 4 in the morning, and only went up about 250 feet. This is, considered only a poor shot. . When the coach returned the following day, the Sydneyite took bis seat, but from Waimanga to Rotorua, he took'fits which lasted the whole way, and also ..took 3 passengers all their time, to hold.him down. Whether he is subject to them, or whether seeing the geyser play; caused such, it is hard to say, as be was incapable of speech for a long period, ■ r' : ~- ,-' The following day we; went across the lake to the Hamurana springs, thence to Mokia on to Tikitiri. 'H, '• * j||^,p>. The first named is a stream of icy cold water, about three quarters of a mile in length, and has about the same fuantitv of water that is in the 'raser River. The head of the springs as they are called lies in a fiat, in the centre;of lovely native scrub, and: the water comes from a large crevice dipping into the bowels of the earth many feet down. The peculiarity of this spring, is the fact that coin* will not sink in Vthe crevice,,but will dart from side to side, then upwards to the surface, or turn about .goi asigag and finally lodge at the edge of the «revu?ei^. v With: v boat (visitors are taken up to the head in a boat), the coins may be dislodged from their seat, only to again go through the same performance. There are many coins on the ledge, and at periods Maoris, will, with the aid of a stout stick, climb down and recover the coins.'; ~y'TTi "%£ .'I, ;: * t ; ■',

Only a short stay was al jwed there, end we then steamed to Mokoi Island. This ia in the eeutre of the lake, and there is a very small settlement' on the lower end, near Hinemba'a 'hath,?/ -.A romantic \ legend is told of this, and I give it the same as written in the guide book.—" Hinemoa, the bea£ teous.and high born maiden of Rotor* ua, was tlifi in tighter of XTmukaria, the chief of the tribe which lived on ihe shores of fthe lake, Her wooprs were many, and the fame of fier loveliness had spread e\ en unto the-North Gape,*but her heart knew not the thrill of love, At length it was announced that a meeting of the various branches of the Arawa tribe would take place at her father's village. Her suitors were many, and they came, from far and near, clad in fine raiment, and bearing costly gifts to lay at the feet of Hinemoa. Never, before had the shores of Lake witnessed such an array of rank mm prowess. On these festive occasionsfr it was the custom in the good days of old for youths and maidens to all join together in song and dance. In these , haka, the " Quip« and cranks and wanton Wiles, Noda and beets and wreathed smtfea"; r

oft kindled the firsf spark of love in the youthful breast. Among th© vfet- \ tors was one Tutanekaf,; whose father was Uenuku, and whose mother wasthe wife of Uhakane, the chief of Mokia, an island ini. the middle of Lake Rotorua. Owing to bis birth 'stain, , Tutanekai dare not aspire to the-hand " of such a noble maiden as Hirif-moa. i Tutanekai, however, for months? past had rehearsed the haka in secret with pis servant-Tiki, and bad become a past master of.the art. The jjj;uests begin their haka in honor* of their hosts, and its weird strains woke the Echoes of the hills. with Hinemoa at their head, are watching A the dancers, when suddenly s Springs out into the fore front of their:--ranks: With every nerve quivering** with- the joy of life, he wheels back and forth from one end of thejine to the other, and many of the dancers catch some of his, wild enthusiasm. Hinemoa is overcome, and the proud citadel of her heart yields uncondi-.. u tionally to the wanton attack of Tutan- >• ekai. The dance is over, and each of i..the chiefs fondly imagines that he has won the love of Hinemoa. But it in notftb be; for Hinemoa, according to the custom of her people, sends her handmaid to Tiki with the intimation that her mistress is graciously pleased to grant Tutanekai a private audience. But the course of true love never did run smooth. The Revels are over. Tie farewell speeches 'are made, and the ; visitors return from whence, they came.: The young' chiefs, wholly unconscious of Hihemoa's choice, await the an < nonncement of her decision. : To be continued) ;■* ■•■' :