296 7^rn/)sorfJovx. 



was close at hand. This news caused Waikato to alter his course to the 

 sea, and thus he was able to outpace Rangitaiki, who, wandering through 

 the country, lost his way in the Whakatane Swamp, which showed how 

 inferior he was in his mana to Waikato. whose name means " a great chief 

 or leader of the people." 



This legend is most suggestive as showing the likely changes that took 

 place along the ridge that separates the drainage-areas of Waikato an.d 

 Rangitaiki to the north of Mount Toruhara. There is no doubt whatever 

 that the surface of the country extending from Rotokawa to Orakeikoraka 

 and thence on to Waiotapu has undergone changes within recent times. 

 It is possible that the Puato and Tori-patutahi Streams flowed into the 

 Rangitaiki before the great eruption at Taupo, and even up to the time 

 when the rift occurred that now forms the Waikato itself from the place 

 where it leaves Taupo Lake down to Orakeikorako. An imaginative people 

 like the Maori personifies the cha)iges or movements that take place in 

 stream and mountain and bush, and the very fact that Puato and Tori- 

 patutahi were sent as messengers to look after Rangitaiki implies a change 

 of flow in these streams, or at least a modification in the conditions of the 

 country. 



A study of the surface -features of the Kaingaroa Plain to-day shows 

 that the line of movement was to the north-west, and the exposures of the 

 rocks suggest a marked depression to the nortliward of the fault that runs 

 across the plateau in a north-west and south-east direction about six- 

 teen miles from the lake. A reference to fig. 1 Avill explain this point.. 

 Tauhara Mountain is only 3,600 ft. above sea-level, and Lake Taupo is 

 1,200 ft. The highest point on the plateau is about 2,530 ft. There are 

 no exposed lavas nearer than Manganamu and Tauhara. The old water- 

 valleys show nothing more than pumice and volcanic ejectamenta, except 

 at King's, near Opepe, where traces of volcanic rocks in situ are said to 

 occur. Thus the lavas towards the Rangitaiki are much higher than are 

 found between Opepe and Lake Taupo, so that unless there has been a l)ig 

 depression between Opepe and the lake, of 1,000 ft. or more, it is difficult 

 to see how there could have been a connection between the lavas from 

 Tauhara and those found at Loch Inver and Runanga. 



A survey of the whole of the volcanic area is badly wanted. Every 

 volcanic orifice should be located, and the country mapped to show that 

 the present line of volcanic activity is only one aspect of the phenomena 

 that have taken place over a long period of time to bring about the pre- 

 sent surface-features of the country. Isolated inspection is insufficient to 

 formulate opinions as to the history of the surface-changes of the volcanic 

 area and the probable duration represejited by the volcanic rocks to be 

 found in the district ; but the events at Tarawera in 1886 suggest a line lor 

 observation. What took place at Rotomahana has likely taken place in 

 a score of other places, and by placing the facts side by side, and studying 

 the growth of vegetable-life within areas that appear to have been acted on 

 by outbursts, as exemplified in lakes of depression, it may be possible to- 

 read far into the past, and even to suggest sometliing as to the future. 



