A TRIP TO THE LAKES AND HOT SPRINGS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5342, 11 May 1878, Page 3

A TRIP TO THE LAKES AND HOT SPRINGS.

(Continued,)It was amusing to see.the natives of bothsexes and , all ages, each popping into the centre bath and clinging, by their hands to the edge of the big basin, which I estimate; at about 130 feet in diameter.. Some of them kept calling to me. to come into the basin, so after a brief hesitation I joined them, and had a most excellent and ref resiling .hot bath. I also went about 100 yards to therwestward of the baths with an old chief, ■ who - said >he would show me: something “pai-rawa-atu (the best of all) ; and it really was an astonishing sight, for on going towards the spot ;iudicated a sudden rumbling noise was heard, the sound increasing in volume the nearer we approached it. At first I was inclined to “ make tracks ” in a backward direction, but on seeing- the'old man laughing heartily at my surprise I pushed through ' the manuka scrub after him, and in-the open ground before us I beheld an almost 'circular'.basin about 20 feet in diameter, and apparently from 12 to 15 feet in depth, which basin was filling fast with water' which lashed about from side- to side in '.seething waves ,or . masses of boiling water,-'-ooca-sicnally ; shrouded by steam,- and meanwhile the rooky ground oroonglomerate was vibrating and,shaking.beneath our feet, while the noise increased as -the : basin'filled!-Then suddenly with a loud report a pillar or; column of boll-' iugwater, (or. what might be ...properly termed a geyser), shot upwards to a,'height,.of about 30ft., falling downwards into the basin again; when the. noise gradually lessened until the. 1 basin was emptied, or drained off. Then a repetition of the. same strange sights and sounds took. place, twice at intervals of about ten' minutes, but the fourth explosion (owing ,to the water filling the basin more slowly), kept me waiting for half au-hour, and it in all points.resembled the first one. The nature -of the .ground or : .conglomerate on; which ithe; visitor stands .would lead one to infer-that he was -placed pu .the ...crust bor 'shrill. (of some vast ' underground cavern; .: which might.-at.any- time- give ■ way and -drbp him .into -the boiling; pot : beneath. The old chief told me that some few years ago; a native who; tempted ’ by. curiosity, ventured into the basin (said to: be-bottomless) during, an interval of : quiet, slippped and fell orifice through ; which the discharging' water shoots upwards, and after being lost to view for; some minutes; hia blanched ' skeleton, divested' of all flesh, re-appeared on the 1 surface; ' , A few .hundred yards: further on; under the foot of the hills, there is, I waa informed, a petrifying spring.-- But the approach to-it is rather dangerous, being in some-places over beds of mud, which, caking over, present ' an apparently solid surface, -but -on suddenly breaking with the Weight, may lefthe unwary or incautious visitor down into a miniature pool or lake of boiling mud. An accident happened : to : a white traveller about a year ago, who,- while persisting in going to : the spring, slipped through into the boiling mud, and waa dreadfully scalded, arid was laid up, in great pain, for three months at the hotel, and, I was told, was ill for three' mouths. longer after he , had recovered sufficiently to-be moved to Napier. So I declined, venturing;.to explore the. petrifying springs; alone, in case of accident. Next morning I' left for Tapuaehareru, and reached there at dark. This township has a good hotel, and contains from fifty to sixty residents. Visitors in search of health come to the baths, and others, eu route for , other places,- put up here. - There are baths and every convenience for invalids and tourists at the hotel, and coaches to and from Tauranga and elsewhere pass at regular intervals. , Next morning I proceeded , on my way, crossing, the Waikato twice, sometimes along the ordinary coach road, at others through rich tracts of beautiful fern-clad , hilly country, interspersed and varied by fine downs, tablelands, and' grassy-and ferny plains, and arrived at., Whakarewarewa late at- night. Here are the sulphur baths, which are now becoming very well known, and are visited and used by invalids from all parts of the world, more especially those suffering from rheumatic complaints. There were no less, than ten fresh arrivals during the short time I was there. A married couple (white people) have taken up their abode at this beautiful spot, and have erected a number of comfortable whares, which they let out to visitors, charging each at t|ie rate of £1 per mouth for use of whare and baths. Visitors can then either pay for board and attendance, or can purchase-provisions and cook for themselves. I found the waters here differing in some degree from the Tokauo springs, the latter being ranch purer than these, both in density and in flavor. To an invalid a trip to Tokano would prove a real benefit, owing to the peculiarly invigorating properties of the water, and while regaining health and strength, visits to, Ruapehu and Tongariro, -and canoe trips on Eotoaira Lake, with other pleasant excursions, would tend to in vigorate, while the couu try roun d is unsurpassed for diversity of. scenery. Calm and peaceful landscapes are successively presented to the eye, contrasting, strangely with the grand views revealing themselves to the admiring visitor as he travels to an fro: among the wonders, grandeur, and sublimity of the giant mountains of the plains. My; object has been simply to record for the benefit of travellers what I saw and felt, and to point out a cheap and simple route (or various routes) by which visitors,-or those who either have a holiday and wish to make the most of it, or are seeking health and change of air. and scene, may thoroughly enjoy, themselves. There are other beautiful spots comprehended in this same trip, which I will, now, briefly describe. (To he contlnmdj.