354 MR. BIDWILL'S ASCENT [PART n. 



saw were, if not quite precipitous, actually overhang- 

 ing, so as to make it very disagreeable to look over 

 them. The rocks on the top were covered with a 

 whitish deposit from the stream, and there was 

 plenty of sulphur in all directions, but the specimens 

 were not handsome, being mixed with earth. I did 

 not stay at the top so long as I could have wished, 

 because I heard a strange noise coming out of the 

 crater, which I thought betokened another eruption. 

 I saw several lakes and rivers, and the country 

 appeared about half covered with wood, which I 

 should not have thought, had I not gone to this 

 place. The mountains in my immediate neighbour- 

 hood were all covered with snow, and much below 

 me. I could not see the sea in any direction. The 

 natives said that from a mountain near, which they 

 pointed out, I could see Taranaki and the island of 

 Kapiti, in Cook's Straits ; and as this was much 

 higher, I ought to have seen both places from this 

 spot, but the south and east were entirely invisible 

 from the cloudy state of the sky. I had not above 

 five minutes to see any part of the country, as I was 

 enveloped in clouds almost as soon as I got up to 

 the top. As I did not wish to see an eruption near 

 enough to be either boiled or steamed to death, I 

 made the best of my way down. It unfortunately 

 happened that the highest part of the crater's edge 

 was to leeward, otherwise I might have stayed there 

 a little longer. I had not got quite down to the 

 sandy plain I have spoken of when I heard the noise 



