NEW ZEALAND. 445 
The small extent of this volcanic region is quite remarkable. 
Ahuahu and Poerua are only seven or eight miles distant, and Turotu 
lies to the west, at nearly equal distances from the two, though a little 
nearer the latter. The volcanic soil appears to be included within a 
circle of ten miles diameter; and from it, we pass abruptly to the 
light-coloured clays of the argillaceous formation, which are not at all 
blackened by their proximity to this scene of igneous action. 
There are other regions of volcanic rock in this part of New Zea- 
land, and two of small extent were passed by us on the way between 
Taiamai and the Bay of Islands. One of these is four to six miles 
from Poerua towards the Bay. After leaving the volcanic soil per- 
taining to the vicinity of Poerua, and travelling a mile over clays, we 
entered again upon a similar tract, and crossed, at the same time, a 
low ridge. Fragments of lava were thickly scattered around, and the 
soil evinced its fertility in its noble forests. Beyond were sterile clays 
as before, and these continued to the Bay. No distinct cone was 
seen; but we had too little time to study thoroughly the place. ‘The 
ridge was one hundred and fifty or two hundred feet in height. 
The other region referred to lies upon a more northern route to the 
Bay of Islands, just south of the Waitanga River, and is about seven 
miles from the Bay. ‘The volcanic soil covers a space about three 
miles long and one and a quarter broad. A hill of steep and irregular 
outline, about three hundred feet high, stands near the northern side 
of this area, which is apparently the remains of a cone. A deep soil 
covers the region, and no bed of rock is exposed ; but loose blocks of 
lava lie thickly over the plain, as in the district of Taiamai. The 
transition was abrupt from the yellow clayey soil to the black volcanic ; 
and we were as surprised here, as about Poerua, at the small extent 
to which the volcanic material had been distributed. 
The volcanic cones which have been described, are all of them 
cinder cones, or the result of fragmentary ejections, which probably 
followed an eruption of lava. Poerua is the only one in which our 
cursory examinations detected evidence that an outburst had taken 
place after the existing cone was completed. . 
Hot Springs.—There is a large area of hot springs (Waieri, of the 
natives), about four miles beyond the cone of 'Turoto, to the westward. 
On the way there, we left the rich soil around Turoto, about a mile 
from this cone, and travelled for three miles over an undulating 
country, underlaid by the prevalent argillaceous formation, and finally 
arrived at a broad plain enclosed by low hills, near the centre of which 
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