286 Traiisaetio7is. 



thickness in some places little sliort of 80 ft. As this banded scoria is 

 vertical in the side of the crater, it would seem as if the scoria had been 

 deposited from another crater before the explosion occurred that produced 

 the adjacent craters. The largest and deepest craters are those on Rua- 

 wahia and on Tarawera, whilst the scoria is deeper than is shown on the 

 most southern of the Tarawera craters. 



The gut or saddle that separates Wahanga from Ruawahia has a crater 

 differing from all the rest in shape ard formation. The sides are formed 

 into ledges or terraces, and the material on the platforms resembles white 

 sand (feldspar crystals ?). The two craters on Wahanga are at the eastern 

 side, and not on the top, as in the other mountains, and the scarp can be 

 seen by passing ships from the Bay of Plenty. 



The scoria in each crater is covered at the present time with a curious 

 lichen (CoUenia?). In the damper places it gives the scoria a peculiar 

 appearance, as if coloured by aerial action, and it leads an observer to 

 suppose that the craters were formed at a remote period rather than at a 

 recent date. 



Along the west side of the mountains overlooking Lake Tarawera a bold 

 embattled top front with vertical sides is formed, below which the material 

 is loose, and is made up, apparently, of the remains of the explosions from 

 the craters on the top. The rock varieties are few, and there are no traces 

 of mud such as is found over the country that was affected by the explosion 

 in the Rotomahana Lake. 



A great and marked change has taken place in the general surface- 

 features of the country. The Tikitapu Bush that was destroyed has in a 

 large measure reappeared. Fern has covered the valleys in many places, 

 and where grass-seed was sown shortly after the eruption it has grown and 

 provides an abundance of food for sheep and cattle. The place known 

 as Te Wairoa, which was destroyed, is again being reoccupied, whilst most 

 of the area in the vicinity is covered over with a variety of plant-life, some 

 native and some foreign. An Australian acacia {A. decurrens) has become 

 the principal tree, and its growth is so rapid that the residents of the place 

 use it for firewood. The plants are of a lowly type, but they show how 

 the surface is quickly reclothed if the soil is suitable. 



Thus a township was overwhelmed with material from a mountain and a 

 lake ten miles away, and to-day, after the brief space of twenty-four years, 

 hardly a trace remains to show that such actually took place. The country 

 is again covered with vegetation, the bare and desolate places have been 

 reoccupied, and organic life has reasserted itself over hill and mountain and 

 valley. The lakes Tikitapu, Rotokakahi, and Tarawera have returned to 

 their former conditions, being either of a deep blue or green colour, so that 

 sedimentation of the material that fell into them at the time of the eruption 

 has been long since completed. 



The ridge of land that at present separates Lake Tarawera from Roto- 

 mahana is less than a mile across, and, though bare in parts, grasses of 

 various kinds grow well, clovers flourish, and a fair variety of native plants 

 abound. A similar remark applies to the mountains. Two varieties of 

 Lomaria ferns, two species of Epilobium, three species of GauUheria, two 

 Veronicas, a DracophyUion, and four varieties of grasses were found, in addi- 

 tion to Coriaria ruscifolia (tutu), which is common towards the lower part 

 of the mountain overlooking the lake. And this was at the end of the 

 summer season. No doubt in spring the variety is much greater ; but 

 the specimens collected by me show that the mountain-sides are being 



