NGAURUHOE AND RUAPEHU.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1388, 14 March 1912, Page 5

NGAURUHOE AND RUAPEHU.

VOLCANO MORE ACTIVE. Mount Ngauruhoe nml its fine companion, Ruapehu, have just been visited by nn Auckland'resident (says Hid Auckland "Herald"). Having frequently climbed tile two mountains before, lie was able to make some observations tlint may be of much use to others who intend to visit them shortly, as well as of general interest. Ngauruhoe, he snirl, during a chat over his experiences, was wearing a huge feather in its cap in the form of a great cloud of vapour, beautiful to the eye, but disagreeable at too close tjuarers, owing to the amount of sulphurous gas in it. This cloud, which is now bo regularly, a feature of the early morning landscape to travellers by rail to Wellington, is an indicator of-tho activity of the volcano. The visitor stated that the activity is greater than it was last yenr, and seems, to bo slowly increasing. Twenty J ears ago steam was , rarely to be seen over the summit. Now there is always a big cloud of vapour, and very loud explosions can be heard ' in-"tho;crat< , r. What goes on below cannot be 'seen, for the Steam is too thick, and the weather lately has been unfavourable as well. Although the volcano appeared to be increasing in activity, lie said ho did not think any eruption was imminent. The future might, on the other hand, be marked by an outbreak of magnitude. Jfeferring to Mount Itunpelm, the visitor said that he had found climbing unusually difficult oh account of the large quantity of snow, and the fact that a great deal of it was new. Being soft, the unow made climbing very risky. Steps had to be cut in it to allow the ascent to be made, and that was very unusual. Ruapehu is, in fact, in such a dangerous stafio thnt he thought that some,rules were needed to regulate ascents, Otherwise a bad accident was certain to happen sooner or later if people not well accustomed to mountaineering undertook the ascent. Among the elements which increase the risk of the climb are the heavy mists which como on suddenly. While the party was on the mountain they were informed that a man lind just gone away, left tho track, and lost himself in the fog. He had no provisions with him, and when at last he was found by one of the station hands, who traced his footmarks, he was verv exhausted, aud' was miles from the track. It is very unsafe to go up the mountain irithont a compass.