104 Tranmctioits. 



as in 1893, for in that year from time to time a rumble was heard in the 

 interior of the mountain, and dense clouds of steam and dust were shot up. 

 It is probable, however, that there was not much difference in this respect, 

 for after returning to camp a rumble was distinctly heard, and soon after 

 the dark cloud rose up from the crater. 



Another visit was paid in December, 1906, when the mountain was more 

 than usually quiescent. It was found that the cavity had extended con- 

 siderably towards the west, where now there was no flat ground between 

 it and the exterior wall of the main crater. It had also extended 

 towards the north-west crater, and had encroached on the small cone in 

 which that crater was situated. During an interval when the steam lifted 

 it was possible to see to the bottom of the cavity. It appeared to be nearly 

 200 ft. deep, with vertical walls on the east and north, but elsewhere bounded 

 by steep walls, which on the west were a continuation of the wall of the 

 main crater. The walls of the cavity were covered with jets of steam, 

 and were encrusted with sulphur. At the bottom was a small lake of 

 greenish-yellow water, on which masses of scum — probably sulphur — were 

 floating, and there were specially strong steam-jets near the level of the 

 water. At this time the crater certainly did not deserve the title of 

 ■' bottomless pit," given to it a little later by a Press reporter. 



In February, 1907, the mountain became more active, and another 

 visit was paid to it to find out whether the activity had caused any notice- 

 able changes in the crater, and also to find out the exact nature of the violent 

 explosions that occurred from time to time. A start was made early in the 

 morning, when a dark cloud was rising 3,000 ft. above the crater. The 

 appearance was then similar to that presented on the following morning, 

 when the photograph was taken. When within 1 ,000 ft. of the summit 

 it was found that the surface was covered with slimy mud to a depth of 1 in. 

 The depth of mud increased as the summit was approached, when it attained 

 a depth of 6 in. When 500 ft. from the siimmit the wind failed, and the 

 black cloud rained mud on to the surface of the mountain. We were soon 

 covered with mud from head to foot, but persevered in our ascent, though 

 inky blackness enshrouded all the mountain-summit, and the air seemed 

 filled with sulphur-dioxide. At the top it was impossible to see anything, 

 nor were the sounds very different from those we heard on previous visits. 

 Everything indicated that an explosive paroxysm had just ceased. The 

 cold wind was so piercing that it was inadvisable to remain long at the top. 

 We stayed as long as possible, but the air did not clear, and we had the 

 satisfaction of seeing after our return that the black cloud still rested on 

 the summit. The mud that fell on us had a strong acid character, for it 

 bleached the colour from a print blouse that my wife was wearing. Pre- 

 viously, in 1906, Mr. Flower, of Christ's College, Christchurch, had agreed 

 with me that the smell of sulphur-dioxide was much more pronoimced 

 than that of sulphuretted hydrogen, which goes to prove that the activity 

 of the crater was at an unusually low ebb when Dr. Von Friedlander could 

 detect the latter only during his visit in 1896. During this visit we were 

 unable to see what changes had taken place in the crater, but it was 

 evident from the foot of the cone that the exterior wall had suffered no 

 changes. The gap in the eastern wall, to which attention was then called, 

 was, as previously stated, formed in 1888. Although some overhanging 

 crags at the side of the gap are in an extremely unstable state, and might 

 be dislodged by the vibrations caused by a steam-explosion, no rocks have, 

 so far as I know, fallen from it since the year 1891, when I saw it. 



