Williams. — Notes on Tarmvera Eruption. 381 



view of the W.N.W. horizon, saw much more of the fiery dis- 

 play than I did. Accounts given by different people vary some- 

 what ; but this is probably owing to the difference of time at 

 which the observations were made. Those who had an early 

 view, Hbout 2h. 30m. a.m., describe the cloud as shaped some- 

 what like a mushroom, the lower portion forming a distinct 

 column, while the upper part spread itself out on all sides. JThe 

 flashes, or incandescent objects, also were seen to be projected 

 from below into the upper part of the cloud, and some of them 

 to fall again, and others apparently to explode, many of them 

 presenting decidedly the appearance of balls. After a time the 

 cloud became more diffused, and no longer maintained the 

 mushroom shape. Between 3 and 4 a.m., a south-west squall 

 came up, with heavy rain, which effectually put a stop for some 

 time to further observations. A number of slight shocks of 

 earthquake were experienced at intervals, some persons having 

 counted as many as twelve between 3 o'clock and noon. 



Towards morning it was observed that there was an unusual 

 darkness, though there was a low comparatively bright arch in 

 the south-west horizon. At 7 a.m., when it should have been 

 broad daylight, it was still exceedingly dark, but near objects on 

 the north-east side were dimly lighted up by a weird reflection 

 from the south-west horizon, the light taking a very peculiar 

 colour from the cloud overhead. It was evident now that we 

 were under the edge of a dense cloud of volcanic dust, which 

 shut off the sunlight very effectually, with the exception of 

 what came to us in a roundabout way by the south-west. 

 Under the influence of the south-west gale, which had now set 

 in decidedly, the dense dust-cloud gradually moved off to the 

 north-east, and by 10 a.m. we were able to dispense with arti- 

 ficial light. 



There were frequent squalls and showers from the south- 

 west dm-ing the day ; but nothing further was seen of the 

 eruption, though the rumble of the explosions continued to be 

 heard fi-om time to time during the day, and for several days 

 afterwards. 



On the evening of Sunday, 18th June, the horizon being 

 clear, there was visible a distinct column of vapour or smoke in 

 the W.N.W., which formed a diffused cloud above. 



There has been no fall of dust or ashes in Gisborne, though 

 there was a sprinkling at places about fifteen miles off in a 

 north-westerly direction, and, of course, more further on. The 

 southern limit of the deposit on the coast is Anaura. At Wai- 

 piro, in Open Bay, dust came down from about 4 a.m. to 

 about 10 h. 30m., causing the most intense darkness, until it 

 was gradually driven off' by the south-west wind about 11 o'clock. 

 The deposit there is about 1 inch thick on an average. 



Accordmg to the best available maps, the distance in a direct 



