DuMERQUE. — Notes on Tamwera Eruption. 383 



At Orete Point, 45 miles north-east as the crow flies from 

 Opotiki, Mr. Seccombe describes the morning of the 10th Jmie 

 to have been clear, and at about 8 a.m. the cloud of dust caused 

 darkness, and a layer of ashes and dust was deposited of about 

 the same depth as at Opotiki. 



" Opotiki, 22nd June, 1886. 

 " My Dear Mr. Dumerque, — 



" I kept rough notes of what I experienced on the morn- 

 ing of the 10th instant, and give you them with pleasure. 



"It was fine bright moonlight up to 10.30 p.m. of the 9th, 

 when I ' turned in.' Between 3 and 4 a.m. of the 10th I was 

 aroused by a noise like distant thunder. I took little notice of 

 it for a time ; but as it developed it became occasionally a con- 

 tinuous roll, broken at intervals by explosions resembling heavy 

 artillery fire. Cattle were bellowing and horses neighing, and 

 it became quite evident that a storm of unusual character was 

 brewing. This much could be surmised while lying in bed. 

 What appeared to be gentle rain was heard falling on the trees 

 near the window, but it was never heavy ; and the thunder 

 seemed to remain in the same spot. The usual sound of the 

 rain running off through the spouting was conspicuous by its 

 absence, and created surprise in my mind. The lightning was 

 bright and the thunder loud, but between the peals at times 

 the noise as of distant artillery-fire was audible. Mild shocks 

 of earthquake were also noticeable about every half-hour. 

 I rose at 4.30 a.m., and went into a room with windows 

 facing South and West, and a cold, damp, sulphurous smell 

 led me instinctively to open the window facing South an inch 

 or two and feel the sill. There could then be no longer 

 any doubt as to what had occurred, as a thin sprinkling 

 of sand could be felt outside. It was intensely dark. I then 

 procured a lantern and made my way into the street, which I 

 found evenly covered with a thin coating of dark and fine sand, 

 which was falling gently ; and, while it thundered, the sand 

 seemed to fall faster or thicker. 



" There was a strong sulphurous smell outside, and the 

 wind blew cold and in gusts. 



" About due South a dull flare-up could be noticed occa- 

 sionally through the falling sand and dust. This led me to 

 think I was at the wrong side of the house, and that it was the 

 glare from an eriiption on White Island ; but I soon discovered 

 that nothing was to be seen towards the North. 



" At 6 a.m. my aneroid barometer stood at 30*05°, and the 

 thermometer at 50° in the office. 



" Boosters all round were crowing vigorously h-orn 6 a.m. 

 till daylight came. 



