A VISIT TO ROTO MAHANA. 
467 
on Tarawera Lake,, where we received a cordial welcome. 
Immediately opposite, there is a lofty mountain which the 
natives formerly regarded as sacred, from the idea that it 
was the abode of spirits ; they said, although many persons 
had attempted to ascend it, no one ever succeeded in reach- 
ing the top ; for the higher they climbed, the higher also 
grew the mountain ; the teacher of the village is a “ tuwenua” 
a kind of leper, whose toes and fingers seem to be wearing 
away with dry ulcerous-looking sores, his skin being quite 
horny; there were two other lepers there, which, as the 
disease is uncommon, I looked upon as a remarkable oc- 
currence, especially in so small a place ; probably the hot 
sulphureous springs may have something to do with it ; the 
whole of the front teeth of these people are either much 
decayed, or quite yellow and unsightly, which may be attri- 
buted to constantly eating food cooked in the boiling springs ; 
the night which we passed was so extremely cold that I could 
scarcely sleep ; this appeared singular as the pa is surrounded 
by hot springs, and the inference to be drawn from their 
proximity, where hundreds of them are sending up their 
clouds of steam is, that it would materially heighten the 
temperature, and this supposition would be strengthened by 
the circumstance that a large and deep lake of warm water 
more than a mile in length is in the immediate vicinity ; 
but such was not the case, for although the water was warm, 
the air one foot above was very cold. 
The next morning I arose early and accompanied by my 
companion, paid a visit to the largest boiling spring, “ Te 
Tarrata At the first view its appearance is that of an im- 
mense flight of steps, of a circular form, with water flowing 
over them, which seemed to freeze as it fell, assuming the 
color of snow : the water here is of a different character to 
that of the Tukupuarangi, being of a bluish milky hue, and 
having a very soft and slightly saline flavour : the change in 
its temperature I found very striking, for in some parts 
it was quite cold, while in others it was warm or hot; on 
some of the steps there was a very slippery deposit of a 
brown ochreous conferva, on others, a formation closely 
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