WAIMANGU CATASTROPHE.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 983, 1 September 1903, Page 3

WAIMANGU CATASTROPHE.

FURTHER DETAILS. SWEPT INTO THE BOILING. CAULDRON, FOUR KILLED AND OTHERS INJURED. I Per Press Association. Rotorua, Sunday. News was brought to Rotorua at halfpast six to-night of a terrible accident at Waimangu. It appears that 32 passengers loft on what is known as tho round trip this morning. One section of tho party saw Waimangu, then in eruption, but tho geysor only played about 200 feet high.

Tho othor party continuing, tho victims of tho catastrophe went by way of Wairoa across tho lakes. They were late in reaching the goysor. Among them were the two Miss Nicholls, Mr McNaughton, and Mr Joe Warbrick. At half-past threo in tho afternoon, while this party was near tho shelter shed on tho hill, a terrific eruption took place. Tho four victims named were killed, and some others were injured. Tho eruption wa3 seen in Rotorua, ani must have been stupendous and terrific. Tho Misses Nicholls are said to be but 19 and 20 years old respectively. The victims were carried in tho rush of boiling water nearly a mile in the direction of Lake Botomahana. It was some time before the bodies were recovered. A considerable portion of their clothing was torn off, pointing to tho horrible, though mercifully swift, nature of the end. Mrs Nicholls, mother of the young ladies who wero killed, had accompanied them to see Waimangu, but she escaped her daughters’ fate. The eruption is described as the greatest yet witnessed at Waiiiiangu. Sightseers who have ssen what this great natural wonder is capable of will know what this means.

One man was in closo proximity to tho geyser when the fatal shot occurred, but succeeded in resisting the force of the water and escaped being drawn into the overflow. Waimangu commenced to play at 11 o’clock this morning. The fatal final shot was at half-past three in the afternoon. Thero seemod to be three Bhots in quick succession, one straight up, the others in a spreading direction. It was doubtless one of tho latter which caused the deaths of the ill-fated party of four. [The Missos Nicholls were nieces 'of Mr James Macfarlane, of Gisborne, Mrs Nicholls being Mr Macfarlane’s sister. The party went to Rotorua on Thursday last.l Rotorua, yesterday. Mr W. H. Coustaut, who was an eyewitness to the disastor at Waimangu, states that no blame was attachable in any way to the guide Warbrick, who prior to tho eruption begged his brother, the young ladies, aud McNaughton to come away from the position they wero in, as he con-

sidered it dangerous. To his brothor he remarked : “ If an accident happens you know I’ll get the Ho also told Mrs Nicholls to tell her daughters that they wero in a dangerous position and to urge them to come back. Mrs Nicholls, ealling her daughters by name, requested them to como away, to which ono of them replied, "Just a moment.” At that moment tho geyser went up. When it subsided it was found that the four were missing. Mrs Nicholls and the guide Alf. Warbrick were on top of the hill, near the shelter shed, and the victims of the disaster wero on tho brow of the hill overlooking the Waimangu overflow. Mr Constant had fortunately left the party a minute or two before the accident, and bad taken a seat on the brow of tho hill in front of tha shelter shed, but nearer to the now accommodation bouse. Search was at once made for the bodies of the victims. MoNaugkton’s body was found first, and the others lower down the stream, all considerably knockod

about. „ , . Mrs Niobolb is naturally almost distracted at the loss of tho girls. It is but a few mouths since her husband died. Auckland, yesterday. Mrs Nicholls and her three daughters came here on a visit from Christchurch about throe months ago. After staying some time at Botorua they wont for a trip to the South Pacific Islands. On their return they remained in Auekland.till last Wednesday, when Mrs Nicholls and her two elder daughters left for another visit to Botorua. Mrs Nicholls is tho widow of the late Mr Nicholls, who owned a big sheep run in North Canterbury, known as White Bock. Ho died 12 months ago. A younger daughter received telegrams from Botorua about nine on Sunday night, conveying dows of the fatality. One of the victims of the Waimangu disaster was David McNaughton, a married man, aged 30, who was manager of a butcher’s shop at Arch Hill. He was a personal friend of the Warbricks. He was to have returned to Auckland earlier, but wrote stating that ho intended to stay ovor Sunday in order to see Waimangu play. Though a married man he has no ohildren. Miss Nicholls, aged about 17, the youDger sister of the two young ladies who lost their lives, left for Botorua by train this morning. The following description by an eyewitness of Waimangu in action gives some - indication of tho awo-inspiring character of these eruptions :—“ When I got °n the hill looking right down into the muddy basin it looked as though Waimangu had shut up shop for the day, but without a moment’s warning I heard a crash and roai, and, springing to my feet, beheld the geyser in full play. As I watched tons of mud and huge stones were flung into the air, and I saw on every side reconfc marks of what the underground forces haa done at the time of the Tarawera eruption. 1 felt that anything might happen, and experienced a feeling of relief when the outburst was over and all had subsided. A huge cloud of stoam gradually separated itself from the earth and took its place in the heavens like one of the ordinary fleecy clouds. It was an awe-inspiring SP Groat prominenco has lately been given to Waimangu geyser by tho feat of Mr A. Warbrick, Government guide, and Jd. E. Buckeridgo, late mate of the ocean yacht Tilikum, in crossing its surface in a Mr Buckoridge states he is inclined to believo that yesterday’s disaster was occasioned by a tremendous inrush of air towards the centre of the pool, following the upheaval. On several occasions recently, when standing on the bank of the geyser, he felt tbo pressure of this inrush immediately aftor the eruption, the force being so great as to make it difficult to stand about it, oven in case of an eruption of or dinary dimensions. The force of t drawback of air following such a terrific upheaval as that which took place yesterday is something which can be bettei imagined than described. It is more than probable that the ill-fated people were thus i drawn into the seething cauldron. When Messrs Warbrick and Buckoridge crossed tho geyser in a boat, they took soundings and temperatures of the diflerent spots. They spent twelve minutes on the lake, during which thoy pulled right -across, besides going round in circles. The nroatest depth discovered was 48ft. Tho water measurements of the geyser wore found to be 80 yards broad and 134 yards long. Both men were very warm when they had finished, owing to the heat- of the y water and steam. The line with | which measurements were taken was almost too hot to handle, and the sashweights used in sounding wore too warm to hold after the boat was hauled up tho hi It is stated that two men, seriously injured at Waimangu, escaped destruction by clinging to a rock. The names are not available bore. ' , . An eye-witness says a large party left Botorua for Waimangu. It was a beautiful day, and everyone was in tho best of spirits. Tbo geyser commenced to play soon after the party arrived, and played at short intervals at various heights. . About 3.30, one explosion having occurred, the Misses IJicbolls got their eamoras ready to lane the next burst. They were then standing 20 feet above the geyser basin, Iwo outbursts followed in quick suooes-

1 sion, the second catching the first and splitting it. It threw a tremendous volume of mud and stones over the surrounding cliffs, rising to above 800 feet. Panic took place among tho onlookors, everyone fleeing for their lives. When the burst subsided, tho four victims had disappeared. Tho place was strewn with rocks and mud. Alf. Warbrick and others ran to tho outlet stream, along which 12ft deep of boiling water was running. After an hour's search they found the bodies, battered almost beyond recognition, the clothes being literally torn from their backs. Mrs Nicholls was a witness of her daughters’ destruction. Her grief was heart-ronding. Several of the relief party were scalded by the hot sand and boiling mud. An inquest will be hold this afternoon. THE INQUEST. THE UNHEEDED WAENING.

(Per Press Association ) Auckland, last night. At tho inquest on the bodies of the four victims of the Woimangu accident, Guide Warbrick said he had warned the deceased and others that the spot where they were killed was dangerous, but his warnings were disregarded. He told Mrs Nicholls to call her daughters back, but the girla only looked round and smiled at their mother. Mrs Nicholls and witness then walked on, thinking the others would follow. When he last saw deceased they were standing on the brink of the geyser when a great eruption went up. He had to carry Mrs Nicholls out of the reach of I danger. The others were washed away. Witness proceed to describe the finding of the bodies. The clothes of deceased were torn to shreds. There was no barrier or protection to prevent people going too close to tho geyser, though warning notices were ituok up. Dr Wohlmann expressed the opinion hat death must have been instantaneous. John Donnelly, who was with the deceased at the time of tho eruption, but managed to escape, said that one of the young ladies seemed anxious to get a snap shot with a camera. As he ran there was a terrific roar, and everything became dark. Material seemed to fall all over them. Had they taken notice of the guide’s warnings no accident would have occurred. The jury brought in a verdict of accidental death, and stated that no blame was attachable to the guide, who repeatedly warned deceased and others, and pointed out the dangerous spots. |

The sad fatality that occurred at Waimangu on Sunday was almost the sole topic of conversation in town yesterday, and great sympathy was expressed for the relations of chose who had lost their lives. A great many Gisbornites have visited Waimangu during the past two years, and have boon as close to the geyser as were tho victims of Sunday’s fatality. Accidents have previously occurred, but have not been given publicity to, probably on account of tourists being frightened away from tho place. In December, 1901, chore was a severe eruption, showers of stones falling on the surrounding \ hiils. Upon that occasion one of the guides had his arm broken by tho falling stones, and a young surveyor who was oh one of the adjoining hills was severely injured. Many persons who visited the locality later on, and waited perhaps for several days without seeing the goyser play, were inclined to doubt the guide’s statement in regard to the narrow escape that he had had, but after Sunday’s eruption they are not likely to do so. At that time there was no accommodation house at Waimnngu, and persons going from Boforua had to drive to the geyser and back the same day, and it was a rare thing for anyone to see it in a state of eruption. A gentleman in Gisborne who visited Botorua in December, 1901, spent three days in a tent with a party of English tourists, waiting to see tho geyser play without being rewarded for their efforts, although strangely enough they had hardly reached Botorua when there was a brilliant display which was witnessed by the guide alone. One of tho party returned to Waimangu the following day, determined to stay there until it did play, but it was not until he had been there over a weok that he was rewarded for , his patience and perseverance.

Of late years the geyser has been in a more frequent state of eruption, and on an average it plays nearly every twenty-four hours, and sometimes for several hours at a stretch. . *