CHAP. XXIV.] OF TONGARIRO. 355 



of another eruption, but am not certain it came from 

 the crater I had just visited. I thought at the time 

 it came from another branch of Tongariro, to the 

 northward, on the top of which I had seen a circular 

 lake of water when on the peak. I was half frozen 

 before I reached the ravine, and thoroughly drenched 

 by the mist, so that I was very glad when I found 

 the place where I had left the natives and the fire. 

 I got back to the tent about seven in the evening. 

 The barometer stood when at the base of the cone 

 at 26*1 inches, but I could not take it up farther 

 than the streams of lava, as I had quite enough to 

 do to get myself along, without having anything to 

 hold. The natives said they had heard the eruption 

 which took place as I was returning, arid that the 

 ground shook very much at the time ; but I did not 

 feel it, perhaps because I was too much occupied 

 with the difficulties of my path." 



According to the observations of the barometer 

 which Mr. Bidwill made at the base of the cone, 

 where the mercury stood at 25io inches, and assuming 

 that his estimate is correct as to the cone itself being 

 1500 feet high, it would appear that the summit of 

 the Tongariro is about 6200 feet above the level of 

 the sea. That it was not covered with snow must 

 be ascribed to the increased temperature of the cone 

 itself, caused by the internal ebullition. The limits of 

 eternal snow must, however, be lower on the moun- 

 tains which form the group of the Tongariro than 



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