ACROSS A GEYSER IN A BOAT.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 967, 13 August 1903, Page 1

ACROSS A GEYSER IN A BOAT.

.THE FEAT PERFORMED,

.The crossing of the great Wairnangu geyser, never before performed by man, was successfully achieved yesterday, by Mr Warbrick, a Government guide, and Mr Buckridge, mate of the yacht Tilikum (says the Auckland Star correspondent). The announcement of the contemplated trip aroused a feeling of interest and excitement among' the residents and tourists in, the Rotorua- district and a large crowd assembled at the geyser side to witness the event. Some of the sightseers went out to Waima-ngu on Sunday/ morning, and spent the day and night in the vicinity. Messrs Warbrick and Buckridge Were among them. .The small open-boat arrived early yesterday! morning. There was an eruption of the geyser at 1 o’clock yesterday morning, the shots varying in l height from 250f< to 800 ft. The last shot of a) J reached the'greatest height,, and occurred about 6.30. The previous. performance had occurred 1 about 8 o’clock on Saturday, night-. Monday morning’s display caused ai dense cloud of steam to envelope the geyser, which still existed at 1.30 When the little boat and its two daring occupants was pushed off. Mr Warbrick rowed, and they were soon buried in the steam-cloud. They; were lost to view for about ten minutes, except for occasional glimpses as they, approached the banks for a few seconds, and during that time they were taking soundings and temperatures at different spots. They spent twelve minutes altogether on' the lake, during which they, pulled right across, besides going round in circles. The -greatest depth discovered was 48 feet-. The water measurements of the geyser were found to be 80 yards broad and 134 yards long. Bath men were very warm when they had finished, owing to the heat of the water and the steam. Tho line with which the measurements were taken was almost too hot to handle, and the sash weights used in sounding were too warm to hold after the boat had been hauled! up the hill. Both men were cheered on landing, and many of those present shook hands with them. After the conclusion of the performance, Mr Buckridge wired to his Auckland representative, Mr W. Arthur Donald, as follows : “ Success. Length, 134 yards ; width, 80 yards •; soundings, 48 feet. Mouth) closed.”

A man named Arthur Samuel Eagleson, residing at Bedfern, Sydney, visited the shop of a chemist and asked for some “ Bough on Bats,” saying that he required it to poison rats. Going home, he mixed some of the poison with water, and drank it, and died a few hours later. A French scronaut will endeavor to cross the Atlantic Ocean, starting from New York, in a balloon 94ft in diameter. Provisions will be provided for a 40 days’ ourney, and an aluminum motor boat will be carried. With favorable winds he hopes to travel at the rate of 30 miles an hour.

To be married by telephone is the latest novelty. In order to throw their pursuers off the scent, W. P. Bandall and Minnie Brown, an eloping couple from Louisa, Virginia, went to different towns. At Buffalo Bandall obtained a minister, and rang up his betrothod a hundred miles away on the telephone. Then with a witness at each end the couple were married.

In New Zealand the life of the barmaid promises to be a short one, remarks the Christchurch Press, and we do not know that any one will suffer very much unless it is th 9 barmaid herself by her enforced loss of occupation. The effect on the consumption of liquor will be far less than Mr Ell and his friends believe. Professor Hickson, of the Sydney Harbor Trust, says that the foreshores of the harbor will have to be enclosed’ with ratproof fencing before complete extermination of the rodents can take place. The Harbor Trust revenue for the past year was £257,000, as against £220.000 for the previous twelve months.

A Viennese woman cutting bread for her children fainted, and in falling the knife ran into her body and mortally wounded her. The Mansur-ed-Dowlah, a Persian of high rank in the army of the Shah, is about to make visits of inspection to the barracks in London. Mark Twain and his family will proceed to Florence in September, and will in all probability make their home there for the future.

Lord Dudley, Viceroy of Ireland, has given £IOOO to the Birmingham bishopric scheme fund, which now amounts to £90,000,