Ill GEYSERS 199 
near Wairakei, blows a spiral column of steam with 
remarkable energy high into the air ; but this terrific 
geyser out-herods Herod. For two hours it rips and 
tears out of the earth in a fierce terrible manner, quite 
unique even in this district of thermal energy. It rests 
every eight or nine hours between its outbursts." 
Not long after leaving Ateamuri, the rain came 
down in torrents, but on reaching Wairakei at three 
o'clock, we tucked up our dresses, put on our wateiv 
proofs and best walking gear, and started off in the 
downpour to see the geysers, which were the finest we 
have yet seen, and their beauty was enhanced by the 
numerous fern -covered winding paths overhung with 
ti-tree and climbing plants. We visited by turn the 
Champagfne Cauldron, which played up every seven 
minutes ; the Fairies' Pool ; Donkey Engine, which 
hissed and blew out with the sound of a dozen snortmg 
giants ; the Red Geyser, so called from the colour of 
its clay ; the Prince of Wales's Feathers, which from an 
insignificant opening with pent-up force every few 
minutes throws up this beautiful-shaped fountain ; the 
Dragon's Mouth ; the Devil's Toll-gate, which at this 
particular time was most unpleasantly slippery to 
approach ; the Steam ' Hammer, which gave out the 
sound of a dozen anvils ; an unwholesome-looking mud 
cauldron, where two years ago a pack horse fell down 
and disappeared, rendering it for three months more 
active : and many others were visited too numerous to 
mention. We came back looking like wet fowls with 
rain dripping from every feather. Next morning horses 
were brought round for a ride to the Rapids. Here the 
Waikato has narrowed to fifty feet, and the foaming 
torrent falls many hundreds of feet in half a mile. It 
pales in comparison with the Huka Falls, three miles 
higher up the river along our road to Taupo, where 
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