Hir.L. — Fiifo/nf/hnjia fnif/ District revisited. 283 



influence. The main interest is attached to the east shore. There are the 

 principal springs to which the hike owes its fame. First of all is Te Tarata, 

 at the north-east end of the lake, with its terraced marble steps projecting 

 into the lake, the most marvellous of Rotomahana's marvels." The two 

 islands Pukura and Puai that were situated in the lake, equally with geyser, 

 puia, and ngawha, were carefully described by Hochstetter, whose obser- 

 vations and painstaking work are a model to students of science. Of Mount 

 Tarawera he remarks, " The chief ornament of the adjoining landscape 

 is the Tarawera Mountain, with its crown of rocks divided into three parts 

 by deep ravines : it rises on the north-east side of the lake to a height of 

 at least 2,000 ft. above the level of the lake. It is an imposing table 

 mountain, consisting of obsidian and other rhyolite rocks, and it is not to 

 be wondered at that its dark ravines and vertical sides have given rise to 

 many an odd story in vogue among the Maoris. Among others, a huge 

 monster, 24 ft. long, resembling a crocodile, is said to haunt the clefts of 

 the rock, devouring every one who dares to scale the mountain." 



The next writer that describes Rotomahana and Mount Tarawera is 

 Domett, in his inimitable poem, " Ranolf and Amohia." Mr. Domett was 

 at one time Resident Magistrate and Commissioner of Crown Lands in 

 Napier, and he had a fine grasp of Native legends, and he has made good 

 use of them in the above poem. Domett retired from the Government 

 service in the year 1871, and the following year " Ranolf and Amohia : a 

 South Sea Day-dream " was pubhshed. Ranolf is a young Englishman 

 and Amohia a Native young woman of high caste. They love one an- 

 other, and, leaving the girl's home, they wander over the country and 

 at last reach the south end of Lake Rotomahana. They see a canoe which 

 has evidently not been in use for some time, so they untie it, and finding 

 a paddle they move towards the Pink Terrace : — 



As at the closing of a sultry day, 



In search ol' some good camping-ground 



They j)addle up Mahana's Lake, 



* * * * 



A mighty cataract — so it seemed — 

 Over a hundred steps of marble streamed 

 And gushed, or fell in dripping overflow ; 

 Flat stejDs, in fhghts half circled — row o'er row ; 

 Irregularly mingling side by side : 

 They and the torrent curtain wide 

 All rosy-hued, it seemed with sunset's glow. 



They continue their journey northward across the lake and they come to 

 the White Terrace, which is thus described : — 



They paddle past, for on the right 

 Another cataract comes in sight : 

 Another broader, grander flight 

 Of steps, all stainless, snowy-bright ! 

 They land ; their curious way they track 

 Near thickets made by contrast black ; 

 And then that wonder seems to be 

 A cataract carved in Parian stone 

 Or any purer substance known — 

 Agate or milk chalcedony ! 



* * * * 

 Each step becomes a terrace broad ; 

 Each terrace a wide basin brimmed 

 With water, brilliant, yet in hue 

 The tenderest dehcate hare-bell blue 

 Deepening to violet. 



