Notes.

Manawatu Herald, 13 December 1900, Page 3

Notes.

. » On a Tour of the North Island of N.Z., (October-November 1900) including the HOT LAKES DISTRICT.

(The Wonderland of New Zealand.) By Chas. Austin. (Continued.) HAMURANA. I next visited Hamurana spring, which is about seven miles by steamer, and situated on the north-east shore of Rotorua. This spring is considered to be the finest in the world, no description can give any conception of the beauty of this charming spot, which is one of the best sights near Rotorua. After landing on the shores of the lake, the visitor is rowed up the Hamurana stream, a distance of nearly a mile, whole bf the waters of which flow from tbit wonderful spring, there being a flow of about half a million gallons or water per hour. This is a most ideal spot for picnics. The natural scenery on the banks of the stream, which consists of willows, wild cherry, trees and all sorts of foliage and evergreens, presents a beautiful sight, together with the various growths of different coloured weeds in the bed of the stream. On reaching the spring, the opening of which appears to be about six or eight feet long, a magnificent sight meets the eye as you gaze into the spring from the boat. Here you can see about 15 or 20ft into the spring, which appears to be bottomless, and the pure cold water rises with snch tremendous force that a coin thrown in obstinately reiuses to sink, rising and falling near the surface until deposited on some ledge below. The various colours of all descriptions which are seen on looking into the spring is a most magnificent sight. At times, a quantity of fish are thrown up the spring into the stream. • MOKOIA ISLAND. After rowing down the Hamurana •pring, we embark on the favourite •t«ara»r Hinemoa for Mokoia Island.

Mokoia Island is a very interesting place from an historical point of view. The story of Hinemoa, which is said to have occurred about one hundred years ago, is said to be true and runs thus : — 11 Hinemoa was a lovely Princess, whose people, the ancestors of the Ohiuemutu natives, dwelt by the shores of the lake. As fate would have it she fell in love with Tutanekai, a man of lowly birth, foster son of Whakane, chief of Mokoia, and determined to fly to him. So one night she left the sleeping pah at the sound ot Tutanekai's flute, borne across the water, which was the signal for her flight, and stole down to the lake. She there discovered that all the canoes were drawn up high and dry, and that there was no means of transit to the island. Nothing daunted, she procured some gourds to help to keep her afloat* and plunged into the water. After a long swim she reached Mokoia weary and benumbed, but a bath in the warm spring on the shore restored her. While she was waiting, Tutanekai's slave came to fetch water for his master when, in sport, the maiden suddenly made her presence known, frightening the wits out of the man and breaking his pitcher. The slave hurried back to his master and told an awful tale of his encounter in the dark. Tutanekai, indignant that a stranger should venture on such liberties with his slave, on his land, rushed to the well full of anger, which we may easily imagine was changed to delight, when, instead of an enemy, he found his sweetheart, and took her home to be his wife." Hinemoa's bath has recently been restored, and the visitor is still afforded an opportunity of bathing in these waters of restorative virtues which ware so beneficial to the heroine Hinemoa, when fatigued after her long swim of about four miles across the lake to her lover. Mokoia Island is also famous for the sieges and great cannibal feasts held there in the early days of Maoriland. The steamer next stops at Te Agai, an old mission station. Here a coach is awaiting to convey us to Tikitere, a distance of two miles. On arrival at Tikitere we behold the most desolatelooking place imaginable— a great contrast to the beauties of Hamurana. The guide (fee 2s) takes you carefully along the valley to see the sights of Tikitere ; the rotten state of the ground with its innumerable steam jets and mud pools, reduced to almost a quagmire, makes this a very treacherous place indeed, and of a most repulsive character. The Gates of Hades (Hell's gates) is a narrow piece of land which divides two boiling lakes. One does not care to linger long here, as the immense clouds of steam, with the odour of sulphur, rise and completely envelop the spectator, gives you an idea of the awfulness of the scene and the mighty activity which, at times, causes the earth to tremble. A few minutes is generally sufficient to satisfy the most curious visitor at the gates of Hades. Then we next saw the Inferno, which is a deep black pit in which there is a huge mud geyser, belching forth its boiling mud with terrific fury. The Devil's punch bowl is also close by, and a fearful place it is. Satan's Glory, the Porridge Pots, and Alum springs are also to be seen, and each have their own peculiarity. Besides these, there are numerous other places of interest to be seen at Tikitere. A little further up the valley the Tikitere sulphur beds are* to be seen. Here, are large quantities of sulphur dug out and ready for transhipment to Sydney, where hundreds of tons are sent annually from this district to be purified. After leaving this interesting but deso-late-looking scene of activity, we had a walk of three-quarters of a mile, on the opposite side ot the road, along a winding track through a bush which nature has bountifully supplied with a rich luxurious growth of every kind of fern and foliage imaginable. We linger here and there to admire some very pretty patches of ferns and evergreens, and on emerging from this pretty shady walk, we see the Blue Lake. On looking down from a high position a splendid view of this picturesque lake is obtained ; the steep hills which almost surround Its lovely waters being clad with bush to the edge of the lake adds materially to its beauty. (To be Continued.) ,