132 



MISS HILDA BOOEDj ON 



fine ; whilst Euapehu, rearing his hoary head, and Ngaruhoe, 

 steaming and black, rise from rocky Tongariro. We 

 gradually left these behind ns, to form a splendid background 

 from the northern side of the lake. 



We were now getting into the heart of the Hot Lake 

 district. Without waiting to describe the very novel and 

 unique inn at which we stayed at Taupo, I must just mention 

 that through the grounds — which are themselves contained in 

 a round basin of rock some 40 feet deep and of about 4 or 5 acres- 

 space — flows a steaming-hot alum and sulphur stream, with a 

 bath-house fitted up at one end. There are other pools and 

 baths, less hot, in different nooks and corners where visitors 

 bathe in novel, if rude luxurv, for the dressing-sheds were then 

 of the most primitive description. 



My sister went that day to see the " Crow's Nest," a geyser 

 which throws up its water at an angle of 45 degrees and from 

 20 to 80 feet high. I did not accompany her, as I was. 

 reserving my energies for the more famous Wairakei Valley, 

 which we were to visit next day. 



Before going further, it may be as well to mention that the 

 principal places I visited during my stay in the Hot Lake- 

 District were Wairakei, and Eotorua (under which heading I 

 may include Whakarewarewa and Ohinenmto). At Wai-o-tapu,, 

 I regret to say, we did not stay long ; still more do I regret not 

 having visited Tikitere ; and most of all must I always mourn 

 having omitted to pay homage to that king of geysers, 

 Waimangu. I shall, nevertheless, have a few words to say 

 about him later on. 



But in those places and districts which I did visit, we saw as< 

 good specimens of the various moods in which volcanic forces in 

 a moribund condition show themselves as, I suppose, are to be 

 seen in all the world. The different forms these moods take may, 

 for my present purpose, be placed under six headings, namely : — 



(1) Hot springs. 



(2) Low-pressure steam jets. 



(3) Mud volcanoes. 



(4) Fumaroles. 



(5) Explosion craters. 



(6) Geysers. 



At Wairakei (where we will now take our stand) we found 

 all these in profusion, and comprised in a valley about half a mile 

 long, barely a quarter of a mile across, and between steaming 

 sinter cliffs rising from 60 to 100 feet high. It is all most 



