WAIMANGU

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3126, 3 July 1917, Page 6

WAIMANGU

CHANGES CAUSED BY THE i ERUPTION. . - A gentleman who has recently visited the Hot Lakes district supplied a re- , , porter of The Dominion with the follow/, ing interesting -details of the presenfj condition of 'Frying-pan Flat. "Prior to the last eruption at Waimangu/' he says," "I have .on several occasions visited the 6cene of Frying-pan Flat, where ■ Waimangu , was in years past an active; volcano. During my. recent visitto Eotorua, I made two trips out to Waimangu. Aβ one approaches within rt couple of miles of where the hostel stood one realises the effect of t'he eruption which took place on April 1 last. From: Frying-pan Flat over an area of 6ome four miles in length by about two in breadth the whole place is covered with silt-like stuff, which was oast around during the recent eruption. Not a bush or a blade of grass is to be seen. It is all swept away as. if a fire had run. through it, and big hillocks of mud ara lying all around. It is simply devastation and desolation. The old hostel is practically demolished, only the outer and some division walls standing, and the whole place is covered with mud,' while in tho, front of the house substances lik,e blocks of concrete are piled' ■ up against it. During my first visit dense volumes of steam were issuing from Frying-pan Flat, and a northerly wind was carrying them in the direction'or the hostel. With two others I walked towards Frying-pan 'Flat, and there thoj effects of the eruption were very notice-* able. Tlie flat is now divided by a big hillock of mud. The north side, where Waimangu was situated, is now quite dry, and the southern side is a lake or fiercely boiling water. Bound this lake; there are several mnd-holes and fumaroles, and when the steam clears off one sees these places are furiously agitated; and throwing up steam and mud. The steam goes up in a dense volume to various heights, and the mud is thrown -up to a height of sixty or seventy feet. Oil my second visit, ten days later than, my first visit, the wind was blowing from; the south, and we got a more favourable* view of the flat. Standing on the hill-: eides above tie flat as the steam cleared away we got "a good view of the lake, and. could see how active it was, especi- / ally around the edge., This time we. ' were successful in seeing several fine displays, and>;ori two occasions the mud was thrown up as high as three hundred feet, and the shape of the upheaval waj quite reminiscent of old Waimanju. Id was a wonderful sight, and well worth a; visit, '-and the visitors who afterwards went out told me the place was becoming increasingly active.' The hills around the flat have been in great part blown away, and old Gibraltar Rock, is a sorry spec-tacle-shattered as if it had been fired at and.torn by thousands of guiis. Wβ also visited the blue cauldron, situated, at the back of Waimangu.' The water, seems to have fallen four. or. five feet, and was ,raging and boiling with great activity, and every few minutes loudl. noisy thud's were heard in the far parti of tho cauldron.- The ciftek which ran , • ■• down the back of- Waimangu has dne<\ tip-possibly the water is njiw running into the lake formed on the flit. Tho water in the lake near the- old hostel has also fallen some feet, and 15 now 08 a muddy appearance. I. would not like. ' .'to express*an opinion as an expert, but I daresay my opinion is abou.t as good s>9 those of the experts who do express opinions on the eruption;, My opinion is that before very long- the different mud-holes, or geysers, or fumnroles, that now exist ajound the lakes at Frying-pan Flat are all closo together, and appeal to be separated from eacli other by thin crusts or walls, will all burst into one, and if that happens we may expect to see something equalling, if not bettering, the old Waimangu Volcano. During nir. visit to Rotorna I called twice at the private hospital and saw Guide M Cprmack. -Mac/ is still confined to his bed ' as his feet and legs were terribly burned, and it will be some before ho can/stand up and take any , exercise. It was vory interesting to t listen to him telling of- the happenings of that terrible morning from which ha suffers so much, and the results of which, caused him such n dreadful bereavement: in the death of his wife and only child. Though still feeling his sad condition, •Mac's' nature is happy and cheery, anir •it is to be hoped he will ere long once . be fit and well to guide the tourists around the Thermal Begums, and entertain and interest them wth his well" , chosen reminiscences.'.'