CHAP. XXVI.] LAKE ROTU-RUA. 389 



scenery ; but generally the country is open and 

 covered with fern. The singular distribution of 

 the woods shows that a great part of them have been 

 destroyed artificially. In some places there are the 

 black stems still standing. The destruction was 

 evidently occasioned by the natives burning the 

 wood when clearing patches for cultivation. This 

 method they were obliged to repeat frequently, as 

 the soil soon became exhausted, compelling them to 

 seek fresh spots of ground. 



The circumstance that renders the lake of Rotu- 

 rua particularly interesting is the number of hot- 

 springs which at several places rise close to its 

 banks : those on the south side of the lake are the 

 most powerful ; they consist of numerous smaller 

 or larger basins, and from several of the openings 

 every five minutes a column of steam and water, of 

 two feet in diameter, is thrown up with great 

 violence to the height of three or four feet. All 

 around the springs a jasper-like deposit is found, 

 which is either soft, like chalk, or forms what is 

 called porcelain jasper and magnesite. In some 

 places it is of a white or greyish colour, and when 

 soft adheres to the tongue, in which state the 

 natives use it for making pipes, which, however, 

 are nowr scarce, as the European pipes have super- 

 seded them. The largest village is built close to 

 the springs, and the natives have from time imme- 

 morial used them as a natural kitchen for boiling 

 their food. The water of several of these springs 



