42 JOURNAL OF A NATURALIST 
The ground rose gently from the lake, which appeared to 
occupy a deep hollow, and I could but venture to suppose 
that this might perhaps have been the crater of that volcano, 
which, in some bygone age, inundated the adjacent country 
with showers of pumice and ashes. 
Jan. 7th.—Early this morning we arose, feverish, stiff, and 
sore, from our gravelly couch to recommence our march. 
We soon came within sight of the place where the hot springs 
were situated, from which the steam and sulphureous vapours 
continually ascended in dense white clouds. The air this 
morning was cool and bracing. After travelling about an 
hour and a half we arrived most ravenously hungry at Tara- 
weralake. Here, at a little village on its banks, we procured 
some potatoes, on which we breakfasted with a hearty zest. 
At this place were several small hot springs, which flowed 
out of the earth near the edge of the lake; the water of some 
being hotter than the hand could bear. Just within the lake 
the water was warm, a little further on it was luke warm, 
and, further still, cold; so that these natives have baths of 
every requisite degree of heat always ready without any 
trouble whatever. The water of the lake I suppose to be 
specifically heavier than the sulphuretted hot waters which 
flowed into it; as, whenever the natives of the village wished 
to drink, I observed them to go into the lake and dashing 
the uppermost water aside with their feet quickly take up 
some from beneath; which, they said, was good and cold. 
The natives of the village informed me that at a spring on a 
hill at a little distance, the water was quite hot enough 
for the purpose of cooking, for which they often used it. Sul- 
phur, too, abounded there, and was frequently “ thrown up" 
out of the earth, from a place whence steam and smoke ever 
ascended. My curiosity being excited, while breakfast was 
getting ready, [ set off with a native of the village as a guide 
to the boiling spring; butafter gaining one hill and not per- 
ceiving any sign of the same, and being almost exhausted from 
want of food, hunger overcame curiosity and I returned to 
the village. I have several times been surprised at the great 
