HOT SPRINGS OF NEW ZEALAND 101 



flowing stream should come so suddenly to an end, 

 till we look over the boat's side and see, far below 

 through the transparent water, a jagged opening in 

 the bed of the stream, from which great quivering 

 volumes of ice-cold water well up to the surface, 

 glancing with rainbow colors and shot with arrows 

 of crystal light. Now we see the cause, for this is the 

 famous Hamurana Spring, the source of the beauti- 

 ful river which flows full-grown from this hidden 

 wooded spot down into Rotorua Lake, a spring 

 from which five million gallons are poured forth 

 every twenty-four hours. Looking into its depths, 

 we can see delicate shells and ferns growing far 

 below, which from the perfect transparency of the 

 icy water appear almost within reach. The force of 

 the up-rushing torrent is so tremendous that coins 

 which are thrown in will remain suspended half-way 

 to the bottom and finally drop to one side of the 

 spring, where they lie glittering below, safe forever 

 from human hands. The Maoris, who are expert 

 divers, have tried again and again to reach this 

 tempting store of treasure, but have never suc- 

 ceeded and never will. 



We will pass half a day and lunch near this beau- 

 tiful spot, and then, in the afternoon, drive over to 

 the geyser region of Whakarewarewa, a small Maori 

 settlement on the other side of Rotorua. The 



