TEANSACTIOXS OF SECTION C. 167 



which I have made reference. Writing of the crater, he says, 

 " The crater was the most terrific abyss I ever looked into or 

 imagined. The rocks overhung it on all sides, and it was not 

 possible to see above ten yards into it, from the quantity of 

 steam which it was continually discharging. From the distance 

 I measured along its edge I imagine it is at least a quarter of a 

 mile in diameter, and is very deep. The stones I threw in 

 which I could hear strike the bottom did not do so in less than 

 seven or eight seconds ; but the greater part of them I could 

 not hear. It was impossible to get on the inside of the crater, 

 as all the sides I saw were, if not quite precipitous, actually 

 overhanging.'' According to Mr. Bid will Ngauruhoe was in a 

 state of activity at the time of his visit, as he says that, from 

 indisputable proof, he was able to testify that a stream of hot 

 mud and water had been running from the crater a short time 

 previous to his visit, and that the event had been preceded by 

 a column of black smoke which spread out like a mushroom. 



In 1851, or twelve years after Mr. Bidwill had been there, 

 Mr. Dyson succeeded in reaching the top of Ngauruhoe, and this 

 is what he says of it : " The top of tlie crater was 600 yards 

 in diameter. The lip was sharp. Outside there was almost 

 nothing but loose cinders and ashes ; inside the crater there were 

 large overhanging rocks of a pale-yellow colour. The southern 

 side is the highest, and the northern, where I stood, the lowest. 

 There was no possible way of descending the crater. I 

 stretched out my neck and looked down the fearful abyss, but 

 my sight was obstructed by large clouds of steam or vapour. 

 I dropped into the crater several large stones, and it made me 

 shudder to hear some of them resounding, as I supposed, from 

 rock to rock. I saw no lava which had a recent appearance." 



It will be observed that these descriptions differ widely from 

 that given by me. The top of Ngauruhoe even so late as 1851 

 appears to have been a single crater of great depth, which in 

 1839 acted after the manner of a puia or intermittent boiling- 

 spring. In 1851 it seems to have resembled a ngawha, or a 

 simple boiling-spring ; whilst at the present time it may be 

 described as a solfatara. Both Bidwill and Dyson are clearly 

 in error as to the diameter of the crater. It is certainly less 

 than 350 yards in diameter, but the high walls on the 

 eastern side make it appear larger. The smaller or yellow 

 crater is clearly of comparatively recent date, as its shape is 

 perfect, and it is situated north-west beside the place where 

 each observer stood, so that it must have been noticed either 

 by Bidwill or D}-son had it been there at the time of their visits. 

 From the former's description I know the exact direction 

 he took in his ascent, and he must have stood on the western 

 lip of the smaller crater had it been in existence. From ap- 

 pearances I am inclined to the opinion that ashes and bits of 



