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The eruption of Tarawera the narrative of which is 

 here transeribed_, is a proof out of many that wherever 

 the pent up molten mass of matter^ the imprisoned 

 steam and gas confined below the solid crust of the 

 Earth find an issue out, it bursts forth in terrific force 

 hurling high into the air all the mud, rock and matter 

 in its passage, and in contact with the cooler air the mol- 

 ten lava condenses into solid rock, carrying eventually 

 with it in its course, villages, men, animals, etc. 



" The eruption of Tarawera began in the night or 

 at 2 o'clock in the morning ( 9th June ) with repeated 

 shocks of earthquake and the opening of a crater in the 

 mountain side or rather the splitting of the mountain's 

 side asunder belching out fire and smoke, mud and stones 

 and ashes in enormous quantities with detonating sounds 

 heard for many miles. The mud, pieces of rock and ashes 

 fell thickly upon the country four miles round Mt. 

 Terawera, so as completely to bury the village of Wai- 

 roa situated in a narrow valley ( at the S. E. corner of 

 Lake Tarawera) where the ashes lay 10 ft. to 14 ft. 

 deep, and many of the people were killed before they 

 Gould escape from their houses. Among these unfortunate 

 victims were we are told Messrs. Haszard and Brown 

 with their families and two other Englishmen as well as 

 more than a hundred Maoris. 



Lake Tarawera was seven miles long and five miles 

 broad, and the mountain, a colossal truncated cone with 

 steep sides, rising 1000 feet above the lake, shining with 

 red oxide of iron and obsidian, was a stupendous feature 



