April — sept. 1859.] the Province of Auckland, 



142 



miles in circuit, and level with the sea. In the centre is a boiling 

 spring about 100 yards in circumference, sending volumes of steam 

 full 2000 feet high in calm weather. Around the edges of the 

 crater are numberless smaller geysers sounding like so many high 

 pressure engines, and emitting steam with such velocity, that a 

 stone thrown into the vortex would immediately be shot in the air. 



" Here and there are lakes of sulphurous water, dormant ; but 

 the whole island is so heated as to make it difficult to walk. From 

 the edges of the crater the scene below is only to be compared to 

 a well dressed meadow of gorgeous green, with meandering streams 

 feeding the boiling cauldron ; but on approaching, we find this 

 green to be the purest crystallised sulphur. 



" No animal or insect breathes on this island, scarcely a limpet 

 on the stones, and 200 fathoms will hardly reach the bottom with- 

 in half a mile of its shores." 



" Being under the lee of the island and in smooth water, Cap- 

 tain Bowden, in the most obliging manner, hove the steamer to, 

 and, lowering one of the quarter boats, conveyed us on shore to 

 enjoy a personal inspection of this grand natural curiosity. There 

 are two spots at which a landing may be effected, at the openings 

 of the outer base of the crater ; by a very little exertion in clear- 

 ing away some of the boulders, the landing may be rendered per- 

 fectly easy ; but although, this day, the water was smooth, still there 

 was such a swell that judgment and caution were requisite to 

 pick out a spot where.best to escape the rollers that tumbled on 

 the rough and broken beach." 



Never shall we forget the grand displays which we beheld in 

 this sulphurous cauldron. Its paintings fresh from Nature's hand 

 — its lake of gorgeous green — its roaring jets of stormy vapour — 

 are things to be witnessed, difficult to be described ; but surpassing 

 all these, and as if their central attraction, there was a fountain, 

 seemingly of molten sulphur in active play, which shot a column of 

 wide spreading green and gold into the scorching atmosphere. The 

 beauty of this fountain was surpassing, and we were under the 

 impression, that from its energy, the volcano was more than com- 

 monly active in its workings. We were very circumspect in our 

 approaches, as the surface in places was soft and yielding, and we 



