WHITE ISLAND.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 69, 20 March 1880, Page 1

WHITE ISLAND.

The Bay of Plenty Times contains the following description of that remarkable island : — " White Island is situated about 60 miles east of Taurange. It has been visited by several pleasure partieß from Tauranga and Opotiki, as well as by the workmen and others employed in working the sulphur whioh exists there in large quantities, and is easily got at, and the guano which is also present in some parts of the island. The landing is effected from the steamer in whale boats, at a kind of slip which has been constructed, and is no easy matter on account of the size and number of the boulderß with which the beach is thickly etrewn. la calm weather, however, it presents no great difficulty. On landing, after crossing about twenty yards of rough beach, yon come to a sort of plateau, more or less thickly strewn with sulphur, about a quarter of a mile in diameter, and roughly of a circular form. This appears to have been the crater of a volcano, as the cliffs which bound it on all sides seem of volcanic formation. On tbe right, sheltered under the cliffs, are the two small wooden bouses which were built by the owner for the accommodation of the men working there ; on the left, a high rocky point, shutting in the view on that side ; and in front, at a disof about 300 yards, the great wonders of the island— the lake, and the etsam craters ou tbe other side of it. Tbe lake is about bal'-a-mile long by about 600 yards in width, and is a peculiar and most beautiful pale green, owing to the presence in it of large quantities of sulphuric and hydro-chloric acids. In fact, to such an extent are these acids present that any materials exposed (o the action of the water are destroyed in a short time Woollen articles seem to stand best, but cotton clothing, hemp, or grasa rope?, are so or. destroyed; in fact, an iron bucket left in the water overnight was entirely destroyed in the morning This necessitates the greatest care, and a special construction for the boats, or rather punlP, used on it for carrying the sulphur from one side to the other. Looking over the lake, on the righthand side, are two distinct groups of steam jets, each group consisting of several small craters, from which issue jeta of steam blown off at a very high pressure, which on a calm day rise high in the air. These jets are strongly imprecated with the fumesof sulphurous acid which ie distilled on the rocks, covering them with a coating of sulphur, imparting a most delicate yellow colour to the cliffs around. On lending at those craters one sees tbe meet ex'raordinary eights — the whola ground is a mass of sulphur, varying, in hue from the pale yellow of the flour of sulphur to the deep red oi where the sulphur comes in its fused state from the mouths of the crater. One has to be careful where one treads, es a false step unpleasant if not fatal results, as the crust is in some places very thin, and underneath is a boiling cauldron of sulphur. Leaving these two craters, the punts are again resorted to, and we proceed to the maio craterß, if we may call them so, on the other side of the lake. On landing, you are alruck by the numerous small boiling springs ia th 9 soft mud of tbe margin of the lake, and on mounting a steep bank boih thoeyea end ears are greeted with tbe most estraordinrry sights and soumis — the beautiful coloura of the , sulphur, the grandeur of the cliffs surrounding a sort of natural basin, and the roaring of innumerable jets jof steam forming altogether a .. coup d'ceil et d'oreille which are uot to be surpassed. The craters here are much the same as we attempted to describe above, but are larger and more easily accessible, and ou looking into them you caa plainly see the molten sulphur underneath. Up a moderately high bank there is also another natural pheno-menon—-ft boiling mud bath. This bath is circular and about 20 feet iv diameter, and the mud is thrown to a^beightof from 4 to 5 feet by the stream which seems to be forcad into it from the bottom j there are altio .several small boiling springs on the side of bill, which contain a considerable amount of alum and hydro chloric acid. One canuot but be struck by 4b e enormous amount of sulphur oa

this island, and the fact that as fast as it in carried away it is reproduced by the aotidn of the crater. The return from this side of the lake is right through the centre, and there are more wonders to be seen now in the springs which rise in the centre, and at first give one the idea that the lake is covered with whirlpools. Before returning to the place of embarkation it is worth while to keep to the left on leaving the shore of the lake to see the bay on that side of the island. The cliff* which surround it also con-, tain a large amount of sulphur, but not in quite such » pure state as thai on the other side of the lake. On returning to the ship, the visitor should not forget if the tide be put, to look for a boiling sulphur spring — iv fact, there are several which well up from under the largo boulders on the left-hand side going down to the boat.. We can only say, in conclusion, that if the day be floe, the trouble of the visit will be well repaid by the various Bights to be witnessed there; but should it be wet or blowing bard, nothing can be seen, as the steam and vapours hang about the mountains and render everything invisible."