GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TEEEITOEIES. 177 



mate age of the great geyser at one thousand and tliirty-six years. Sim- 

 ilar calculations might be made also with regard to the Tetarata fountaiu 

 by examining the thickness of the siliceous incrustations. 



"The flat, spreading foot of theterracesextendsfarintothelake. There 

 the terraces commence with low shelves containing shallow water-basins. 

 The farther up, the higher grow the terraces ; two, three, also some four 

 and six feet high. They are formed by a number of semicircular stages, 

 of which, however, not two are of the same height. Each of these 

 stages has a small raised margin, from which slender stalactites are 

 hanging down upon the lower stage ; and encircles on its platform one 

 or more basins resplendent with the most beautiful blue water. These 

 small water-basins represent as many natural bathiug-basins, which the 

 most retined luxury could not have prepared in a more splendid and 

 commodious style. The basins can be chosen shallow or deep, large 

 or small, and of every variety of temperature, as the basins upon the 

 higher stages, nearer to the main basin, contain warmer water than 

 those upon the lower ones. Some of the basins are so large and so 

 deep that one can easily sv/im about in them. In ascending the steps, 

 it is, of course, necessary to wade in the tepid water, which spreads be- 

 side the lower basins upon the jjlatform of the stages, but rarely reach- 

 ing above' the ankle. During violent water-eruptions from the main 

 basin, steaming cascades may occur ; at ordinary times but very little 

 water ripples over the terraces 5 and only the principal discharge on the 

 south side forms a hot, steaming fail. After reaching the highest ter- 

 race there is an extensive platform, with a number of basins, 5 to 6 feet 

 deep, their water showing a temperature of 90° F. to 110° F. In the mid- 

 dle of this platform, there arises, close to the brink of the main basin, 

 a kind of rock island, about twelve feet high, decked with, manuka, . 

 mosses, lycopodium, and fern. It may be visited without danger, and 

 from it the curious traveler has a fair and full view into the blue, boil- 

 ing, and steaming caldron. Such is the famous Tetarata." 



The above is an almost perfect description of the springs at Gardiner^s. 

 Eiver. We have the same beautifully clear blue water ; the terraces 

 and basins even to the stalactitic processes hanging from the latter. 

 We have also an u^jper platform or basin with the main springs, from 

 which continual clouds of steam are rising. The. lower terraces are also 

 shallower and their basins filled with cooler w^ater. We have the same 

 form of natural bathing-basins of a x>ure white color. To these latter 

 some of our party gave the names of Jupiter's baths and Diana's pools. 

 The differences are these : in Jll^ew Zealand the deposit; is mainly siliceims, , 

 here it is calcareous 5 in 'New Zealand the water is neutral, here it is 

 alkaline ; in New Zealand the main spring is probably a vast geyser. 

 At Gardiner's River it is not likely, at the present time at least, that it 

 is a geyser, for the main springs are so large that even if there is a tube 

 at the base supplying one of the conditions for a geyser the pressure of 

 the water would prevent any eruption unless it should take place at ex- 

 tremely long intervals. If so, the display would be grand beyond all 

 precedent. It is likely, however, that some time in the past it has ful- 

 filled all the conditions of a geyser. The deposit at Gardiner's Eiver is 

 much more extensive than that of the Tetarata. 



We left the hot springs on the 24th of July. Proceeding down the 

 hill we crossed the two branches of Gardiner's Eiver and wound our 

 way up the right bank of the east fork of the river. Our course was 

 along the steep side of the mountain, over sandstones, which were capped 

 with a broad plateau of basalt, fragments of which were strewn along 

 our trail. After about four miles of steady climbing we reached the top 

 12 a s 



