Mabshall. — Crater of Ngnuruhoe. 103 



Dyson, in 1851, stood on the northern side of the crater. He says the 

 lip was sharp, and inside there were large overhanging rocks of a pale- 

 yellow colour. It was impossible to descend into the crater. This account 

 corroborates Bidwill's statement, and emphasizes the fact that the crater 

 had, in the middle of last century, steep walls all round — or, at any rate, 

 on the northern side. 



Professor Thomas, in 1888, called attention to the form of the crater, 

 and recorded that Mr. Jackson Palmer, then engaged in work near the 

 mountain, had noticed that after a long spell of bad weather in 1888 a gap 

 had been formed in the east side of the crater-wall. 



In 1887 Mr. Hill ascended the mountain, and at that time, and at a sub- 

 sequent visit in 1892, the crater was in the same condition as it was in when 

 I first saw it in 1891. Fig. 1, Plate V, gives an idea of its appearance. The 

 small north-west-rim crater, called by Mr. Hill the " yellow crater,'" was 

 then rather active, and steaming vigorously. The main crater had a floor 

 nearly level throughout. We entered the crater on the western side. Near 

 this side there was a violent escape of steam, though less in amount than 

 that which escapes from Karapiti. Smaller steam-jets were issuing in many 

 places, and most of them escaped from the summit of a cone of bright- 

 yellow sulphur 2 ft. or so in height. The effect of all these small cones 

 was very pleasing. It was possible at that time to walk all over the floor 

 of the main crater, though the ground was hot and in some places soft. 



In 1893 the appearance of the crater had absolutely changed, though 

 the small north-west crater still remained, but steamed much less than 

 previously. All the small sulphur cones had disappeared, and near the 

 centre of the main crater there was a deep black explosion-cavity. The 

 explosion to which the formation of this was due had scattered mud and 

 volcanic ash over the floor of the main crater, and had covered up the 

 little sulphur cones. The explosion-cavity was then about 30 yards in 

 diameter, and there was level ground between it and the north-west 

 crater, and more between the cavity and western wall. 



In 1891 a report was published by Mr. Cussen on the Tongariro 

 Mountains, and with it an excellent map : but it is stated in the text that 

 though Ngauruhoe was twice ascended, the clouds of steam that issued 

 from it prevented the surveyors from obtaining a clear view of the crater. 

 It is, however, stated that the crater was circular, and the small crater 

 on the north-west side is described. In the map another small crater is 

 indicated, on the south side. This is probably an error, for no mention is 

 made of it in the text, and it was certainly not there in January of that 

 year. Dr. Benedict von Friedlander was the first to call attention in writing 

 to the " hole " in the south-west of the crater. He visited the mountain 

 in 1896, and was unable to see to the bottom of the " hole " because of the 

 large amount of steam that issued from it. He does not state the extent 

 to which the " hole " encroached upon the crater on the north-west rim. 

 to which he, like all other observers, refers. 



In January, 1898, I was able to walk between the explosion-cavity, or 

 hole " of Dr. Von Friedlander, and the small north-west crater, though 

 the explosion-cavity was then much enlarged, and the level ground between 

 it and the north-west cone was much reduced. The cavity had also extended 

 considerably to the west, though there was still some level ground between 

 it and the north-west crater. As in 1893, I was unable to see to the bottom 

 of the cavity, because of the large body of steam that issued from it, though 

 a long time was spent on its edge. The activity did not seem so pronounced 



