THE GEOLOGY OF NEW ZEALAND. 
221 
quiescence experience proves, but that their general frame¬ 
work is as ancient as that of other parts of the earth’s surface, 
appeal's highly probable.* 
The Geological features in New Zealand are clearly marked ; 
so that there is no difficulty in detecting the character of the 
agent employed. 
New Zealand may be properly called a volcanic country, 
since it contains a long line of craters which extend from one 
end of the country to the other; in fact, nearly half the 
mountains in the country are extinct craters: volcanic action, 
however, seems to have been greater in particular localities. 
In the north the centre was at Otaua, near the Bay of Islands, 
which is a very remarkable district. An immense crater rises 
above the level of the surrounding country, with steep 
precipitous cliffs of pipeclay, which, on the summit, incline 
inwards, so as to form a vast bowl several miles in diameter. 
This appears to have been, formerly, one huge crater; but 
when that became exhausted, a series of smaller ones broke 
out on the sides, which are still, more or less, in operation, 
and are chiefly filled with water of great depth from which 
streams of gas escape in every part. One of these crater 
lakes contains white mud, which bubbles up in all directions; 
in another, the heated gas is emitted from innumerable pores, 
the highest degree of temperature being 196 Fah., the ground 
seems to be constantly subsiding ; probably in the same degree 
as the mud is ejected from the neighbouring spots. It is very 
evident, that after the grand crater became extinct, it was 
covered with a most luxuriant growth of Kauri timber, the 
leaves of which, in some places, formed a turf stratum of 
nearly twelve feet in thickness ; and in every part the immense 
roots are still perfect in the ground, the smaller ones being 
encased with pure sulphur. The lakes also are filled with 
timber; and even the leaves and cones of the trees are as 
fresh as though they had just fallen from them.j- 
* The acute termination of all the lands of our globe towards the South pole 
tend to shew that the destruction, however caused, emanated from that quarter. 
f These parts are resorted to by scrofulous and diseased natives, especially 
females from the Bay of Islands, for the benefit of vapour baths, to form which 
