Pond and Sjiith. — On the Kruption of Mt. Tarawera. 347 



effect that the forces have been decreasmg in activity, rather 

 than the contrary, and Maori tradition lends weight to this 

 impression. They have many stories of the greater activity of 

 the hot springs ; indeed, Europeans have seen many fine geysers 

 in play which are now quiet or extinct: but none of their legends 

 speak of any great calamity having befallen their ancestors 

 through volcanic agency, and we may be sure that amongst a 

 people who are so scrupulously careful in handing down their 

 history, any great catastrophe would have certainly been noted. 

 A consideration of some few occurrences in that district during 

 the twelve months, and immediately preceding the eruption, 

 ought at least to have warned us that some changes were im- 

 pending, a few of which will be noted. 



On the 22nd November, 1885, Mr. Josiah Martin, F.G.S., 

 who was then staying at Eotomahana, was lucky enough to 

 witness what may be called an eruption of the basin on top of 

 the White Terraces, a brief description of which he has been 

 good enough to supply us with : — 



"Nov. 19 to 21, 1885.— Wind, W., W.S.W. Eain and squalls. 

 Bar. falling. 



"Activity of geyser, normal ; overflowing and covering the 

 whole of the Terrace. 



(( 



Nov. 22. — Wind, S. Clear sky. Bar. rising. 



" Visiting the Terrace at daybreak, I found that overflow had 

 ceased, and water was rapidly retiring. At 6 a.m. the great 

 cauldron was empty, and until noon it remained quiet, when 

 activity was resumed by water rising slowly and filling the 

 geyser tube. Very little increase in activity was noticed until 

 4 o'clock, when furious ebullition commenced, the water rising 

 in wave-like upheavals, with occasional geyser fountains reaching 

 a height of from 50 to 60 feet. By 5 o'clock the basin was 

 half full, and violently agitated. Watching the activity from the 

 upper platform of the Terrace, I was startled by a severe shock, 

 with a deep boom like an underground explosion, when the 

 water in the basin was instantly uplifted into an enormous 

 dome, from the top of which an enormous column of water was 

 projected vertically, with incredible velocity, falling again over 

 the upper Terrace in a heavy shower. 



" (The Natives encamped at the foot of Terrace were alarmed 

 at this sudden eruption, which they said was the most violent 

 they had ever seen.) 



" By 6 o'clock the crater was full, and no further change was 

 noticed until 8 o'clock, when the water began slowly to retire. 

 On the following morning (23rd) the water was retiring, and by 

 9 a.m. the basin was left quite empty and dry. No action was 

 noticed until evening, when the water rose a few feet within 

 the basin. 



