THE WAITOMO CAVES, KING COUNTRY (REPORT ON).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1889 Session I, H-18

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1889. NEW ZEALAND.

THE WAITOMO CAVES, KING COUNTRY (REPORT ON).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

The Chief Surveyor, Auckland, to the Surveyor-General, Wellington. Sir,— Survey Office, Auckland, 24th June, 1889. In accordance with your instructions to visit and report on the caves at Waitomo, I, in company with Mr. Allom, my assistant, Mr. Hanna, photographer, his assistant Mr. Bain, and Mr. James Stewart, C.E, teft Auckland on the 31st May, arriving at Otorohanga the same evening. On the following morning we were joined by Major Mair, who had been good enough to arrange with the Natives for our visit; Mr. H. D. Johnston, Native Land Court Interpreter; and Mr. William Cussen, who kindly offered his camp equipage, and arranged the transit of camp and commissariat. I must express my great indebtedness to him for his obliging and gratuitous assistance throughout the exploration. After a ride of ten or eleven miles we reached the caves, of which I give a full description further on. Major Mair and Messrs. Stewart and Johnston returned to Otorohanga the same evening, but the remainder of the party camped close to the entrance of the caves for two nights, returning to Otorohanga on the evening of the 3rd June to catch the next morning's train to Auckland. We could profitably have spent a longer time, but there was no other train for a full week, the time-table having been altered. We had consequently to work very long hours. The first day, after having ridden from Otorohanga, we were at work inside until midnight, and on to 2 a.m. of the following morning. After a few hours sleep, and breakfast, we went in again until 11.30 p.m. : the last day from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m., when we left for Otorohanga. Nearly the whole of the time was taken up with the photographing, which was very tedious, as we were greatly impeded by the smoke from the magnesium burning, which hung about very much. The whole party suffered more or less for some days afterwards through inhaling its fumes so continuously. Mr. Hanna and myself took a large number of photographs, and I forward a selected twenty-two in triplicate with this report. At the present time there is a fair Native horse-track from Otorohanga, which can be comfortably covered in an hour and three quarters. The caves, if maintained in their present natural condition, will doubtless draw a constant stream of visitors, and every care should be taken to preserve them from being despoiled, or in any way injured. I fear that the Natives, of themselves, will not be able to prevent it. Already persons have written their names, selecting the most delicate portions—one in particular, " Foy Ngarato," who seems to have taken a delight in defacing them with indelible pencil. The aniline dye has sunk in, and all our attempts to erase it by rubbing and scraping failed. This person has even defaced the marble-like "White Terrace " in this manner, doubtless with a view of immortalising himself. He has succeeded, but in quite a different way to what he expected, for his name will be held up to execration by every person who sees his dastardly work. If this kind of thing were allowed to continue the natural unimpaired beauty would be irretrievably marred ; so that, if possible, the Government should either purchase the site of the caves or in some way, with the consent of the Natives, assume the control and management of them. Description op the Caves. On approaching the valley of the Waitomo the scenery is very fine, in marked contrast to the open plains of the Waipa belo;.v. The country is undulating, with clumps of light bush scattered about, and occasionally groves of mamaku tree-ferns. A quarter of a mile before the caves are reached, the Waitomo, a stream of about 20ft. in width, is to be found emerging from the side of a hill, under which it has meandered through limestone caverns of various sizes for about 20 chains, and along which a light canoe can be taken to within a few chains of its egress, where further progress is barred by the roof coming down to the water. Passing over a low saddle, which completely blocks the valley, the mouth of the cavern is reached, into which the stream disappears. This " rua " (hole), as it is called by the Maoris, has been known to them for generations, and the stream, which is Bft. deep at the entrance, has been a noted place for eel-fishing. Tradition, however, gives no account of Natives ever having had the courage to enter this, to them, awe-inspiring darkness —the abode of taniwhas and other fabulous monsters. It was left for Mr. F. Mace to bring to light this domain of beauty, who, after constructing a slender raft of dry logs, courageously entered the forbidding darkness in company with a Native named Tane Tinorau, whom he had, after long persuasion, induced to share in his voyage of discovery.

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To Mr. Mace great credit is due; and, in token of the service lie has rendered to the tourist community, together with a view of- keeping his name associated with it, the entrance cavern has been named " Mace's Cavern." The entrance —30ft. wide and 20ft. high—which is in the face of a cliff in a picturesquely-wooded spot, is beautifully arched, and is a fine spectacle, with its numerous stalactites covered with mosses and litchens mingling with the foliage. Here is a small impromptu landing-stage made by the Natives, where the embarkation takes place. The sight-seer is taken in a canoe and landed in the dark on a silt-formed beach 90ft. from the entrance. By the aid of candles he finds himself among ponderous stalactites 3ft. to 6ft. thick, reaching from the roof—2oft. high.—to within afoot of the ground. These are known as the " Monsters." One, over the water, a little out of the track, is fully 10ft. in diameter at its base. The travelling is now on foot, and necessarily with lights, as owing to the cavern at this point taking a sharp turn to the left the last glimmer of daylight vanishes. Passing down the left bank of the stream for 140 ft. over a large deposit left by floods it is crossed by means of a foot-briefge. Notwithstanding the lights carried by the party, the roof of this cavern about and bej'ond the Monsters is seen to be studded with thousands of glow-worms, giving the dark vault the appearance of a starlit sky. From the entrance, to the bridge, the cavern averages 50ft. broad and from 20ft. to 30ft. high. Along the sides are stalactites, stalagmites, and pillars of much larger dimensions than any afterwards met with—excepting the columns supporting the entrances of the two upper galleries; and were it not that the whole is covered with a thin coating of brown mud, deposited during occasional inundations caused by the orifice in the stream-channel some distance further on being too small for the flood-waters, its grandeur, which.is now great, w 7onld have been unsurpassed. Crossing the bridge, a sharp turn to the right is made up a slight incline^for.a distance of 70ft. to the foot of a 10ft. ladder, which leads to a narrow passage, 4ft. wide and 15ft. high—the entrance to the "Grand Cavern." From the* entrance where the canoe is taken to, the narrow passage is called " Mace's Cavern," and before leaving it there is one more notable spot to mention. On the opposite side of the cave, at the ladder, is to be found the bottom of the " Well" —a natural shaft running up to the top caves, where it is again met with in one of the galleries above. It is about 4ft. across, perfectly true as if made by human hands, and its sides beautifully marked with horizontal streaks, formed of laminated limestone. On entering the Grand Cavern there is a slight rise to the summit of an immense mass, hundred of tons in weight, which has fallen from the roof at some distant period, as is proven by the beautiful clusters of stalagmites which have been formed on the top. Passing on, a descent is made by an incline and short ladder to the level floor of the cavern. The roof, from 40ft. high, has suddenly lowered to 20ft., and the width contracted to about the same. At this place, directly in the centre, hangs a cluster of delicately-formed stalactites, almost white, reaching nearly to the floor. About here are numerous stick-like encrusted stalagmites, some rising several feet from the ground. Immediately beyond, the roof rises and forms two high domes ; the further one, 50ft. in height, is named the "Grand Dome." High up (40ft.) on each side is to be seen a small hole, undoubtedly another gallery. One of these is reached later on, and another view of the dome obtained from that position. Beyond the dome there is a sudden fall, the roof also lowering until one is obliged to stoop to save the head from hundreds of stalactites. A few yards further the black sombre stream is once more met, and progress in that direction, except by canoe, and then only for a short distance, is impracticable. The length of the Grand Cavern—that is, from the narrow entrance to again meeting with the stream —is 250 ft. It varies in width from 15ft. to 40ft., and from 20ft. to 50ft. in height. It must not be thought that all the scenes have been described, as there are subjects for the curious on every hand—stalactites, stalagmites, incrusted pillars, and buttresses of fanciful and grotesque shapes which baffle description. But we must leave this scene to enter upon more numerous and greater beauties. Up to this point the appearances have been of from a dull-brown colour to a light-yellow, but on rising 30ft. to the higher galleries there are alabaster- and Parian-marble-like scenes of unsurpassed loveliness, unsullied by the turbid inundations which have at times occurred in the caverns below. Climbing up a roughly-constructed 20ft. ladder from the Grand Cavern, the " Organ Gallery " is reached, its entrance guarded by several magnificent white incrusted pillars supporting the roof, which is about 20ft. high. The outlook from a few yards within, through the pillars to the high vault of the Grand Cavern, is very effective when viewed by aid of magnesium light. At the top of the ladder stands a stalagmite of the lighter type, about sft. high and but 3in. in diameter, coated with coral-like incrustations, which admirably serves the purpose of a candlestick to light up the ladder. Following the gallery, which shortly narrows to 15ft. but with plenty of head-room, nothing of interest is to be found until 70ft. in, where there is a small recess in the wall, named by the Natives " The Court." It is so called through a number of small stalagmites being imagined by them to represent a Judge and officials. In deference to them it will retain the appellation, although, to the unimaginative mind, not very appropriate. But this is soon eclipsed, as 80ft. further on stands, in the centre of the passage, the "Organ," a grand stalagmitic mass, tier upon tier of marble-like appearance, somewhat resembling the front of aa organ. It is surrounded by stalactites of equal brightness, and of all lengths up to 4ft., some as thin as a reed, with glistSiing drops of liquid hanging from the extremities. Not until the magnesium light is thrown on is this seen in all its loveliness. Just behind, on the left, is a small white terrace-formation, and 40ft. further, at the termination of the gallery, is a larger one, completely blocking it from floor to roof. It is just possible that an excavation beside it would disclose a continuation of the chamber, with additional interesting sights.

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Steps have now to be retraced and the ladder descended to the Grand Cavern. Following it to its north-eastern extremity, the entrance to the main gallery is reached by a 25ft. ladder. There is nothing of special interest about here, nor in the cave that runs 120 ft. in a north-easterly direction, as it is devoid of all stalactitic or similar formations. It will bo well for the visitor to avoid this cave, as the roof and sides are very much shaken, and liable to crumble or fall in large masses at any time, as the floor fully testifies by the abundant debris. This is the only part of the caves where danger of this nature is to be apprehended. The main gallery, at the top of the ladder, turns sharp to the right among heavy pillars close together, and, at a point 60ft. along it, care must be taken to avoid falling down the " Well," which lies immediately beside the narrow pathway. It is here perfectly circular, and 12ft. in diameter, having smooth sides of hard limestone, with the sound of running"* water below. It diminishes to about 4ft. at the bottom, 45ft. below, in Mace's Cavern, as before alluded to. For the next 50ft. the gallery is from 10ft. to 15ft. wide and 10ft. high, when it suddenly contracts to 6ft., with incrusted stalactites and buttresses of great beauty forming the entrance to the indescribable " Fairy Grotto," a chamber 20ft. by 30ft., with white stalactites hanging from the roof by hundreds, the larger ones and the buttresses forming the portals of the cave covered with a cauliflower-like incrustation, whilst the smaller ones are crystallized and translucent. All attempts at description must fail to do justice to this fairy-like scene, which oven surpasses the Organ, with its surroundings. Through an archway 30ft. in. length the "Banquet-chamber" is reached. It has acquired this name through the reception the Government party mot at the hands of the Natives. On arrival there we were gratefully surprised at finding a roughly-improvised table of split timber laden with a hot dinner, and suitable seats down each side. The white glistening walls and roof, lighted up by a lavish number of candles, were -tastefully relieved by a few small groimd-fems hung about. On completion of the repast the newly-introduced visitors-book was brought out, in which the members of the party wrote their names, much to the delight of the Native proprietors. At the end of this chamber is the White Terrace proper. There, are several of these formations scattered about the caves, bat none to compare with this. It is a stalagmitic mass rising by about a dozen very strongly-marked terraces to a height of sft. ; it is of a pearly lustre, glistening and scintilating in a perfect manner under strong light. At the northern end of the chamber, and at the extremity of a 30ft. passage clustered with incrustod pendants, is the upper entrance to the caves, high in a wooded cliff' directly over and 60ft. above the lower entrance, where the canoe is taken. Before leaving, there is one more cave (Mair's Cave) to bo seen, famous for its peculiar formations, which is reached by a very narrow crevice 20ft. long and sft. high ; but the scene on emerging well repays for the little inconvenience suffered in the passage. Directly in front is by far the most beautiful group of stalagmites of the smooth white class, while immediately to the right is another cluster of the incrusted type, the largest rising high, and joining the stalactite, which has been the cause of its existence. Behind, from the roof, hang innumerable long, thin, deli-cately-shaped pendants, whilst tho floor is so covered with individual low stalagmites as to afford no walking-room among them. On the opposite side of the cave stands the Black Terrace, almost similar to the White in regard to size. It is in reality a very dark-brown when closely inspected, and is unique in this respect. Thirty feet further is the extraordinary drapery-like stalactite the "Blanket," which is so strikingly like one as to deceive the beholder at 20ft. distant, it hangs in most perfect folds, which are so thin as to bo translucent. The Maoris' custom is to go ahead and hold a candle up between the folds, which discloses a border of strongly-marked reddish stripes running lengthways, as in the article after which it is named. Stalagmites of similar structure are met with elsewhere, but none so large or striking as this. Another 60ft. further is the termination of tho caves, at the small outlet into the Grand Cavern, 40ft. above its floor, which was noticed from below. At the end of a small by-passage is the "Drum," where by beating a particular portion of the floor a loud drum-like sound is emitted which can bo heard far through the caverns— evidently a hollow below a very thin floor. This concludes the description of the caves so far as they have been explored, but it is more than probable that further galleries will yet bo found in tho dark, low, unexplored arches through which the stream runs. Visitors should make the toxtr of the caves from below, as it is so much more effective ; besides, the ladders are much easier ascended than descended. The water-entrance has a tinge of romance about it, and is a fitting preface to the undertaking. As progress is made the sights improve, and continue to improve right through, a condition of things which affords the greatest amount of pleasure. Tourists should by all means supply themselves with magnesium-ribbon for lighting up the scenes. Candles are used for the travelling, but the magnesium for extended views and illuminating the objects of general interest. Ten shillings' worth (judiciously purchased) would be ample for a small party; but, in the absence of special clocks for running it, it should be previously carefully uncoiled and cut into 2ft. lengths, and, when burnt, run through a shore piece of thin tubing, with a handle attached, which is essential on account of the tubing breaking. I have, &c, The Surveyor-General, Wellington. Thomas Humphries, Chief Surveyor. -% [Approximate Cost of Paper. —Preparation, nil; printing [2,500 copies), £3 Is]

By Authority: (Jeobge Didsbuby, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBB9.

WAITOMO CAVES PLAN OF THEIR LOCALITY

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WAITOMO CAVES PLAN OF THE GALLERIES

GENERAL VIEW OF THE COUNTRY.

WAITOMO CAVES —THE GRAND CAVERN

WAITOMO CAVES-ENTRANCE to ORGAN GALLERY

WAITOMO CAVES-THE WHITE TERRACE.

WAITOMO CAVES-THE BLANKET.

WAITOMO CAVES - MAIR'S CAVERN.