The first view--The Geyser Valley--Curious sights--Tahuatahe--Terekirike--The Whistling Geyser--A nest of stone--Singular mud-holes--The Gas and Black Geyser--The Big Geyser--The great Wairakei--The Blue Lake--Hot mud-holes--Kiriohinekai--A valley of fumaroles--Te Karapiti--Te Huka Falls--Efforts to pass under the falls--A cave--An enormous fissure--Another trial--A legend. Within the extensive area of country known as Wairakei are situated the principal thermal wonders of this portion of the Lake Country. By reason of the terrace formation, so remarkable in this part of the valley of the Waikato, the whole place appeared as if it had been artificially designed by the hand of man. Small pumice terraces, with flat tops and shelving sides, so regular and distinct in outline that they seemed as if they had been fashioned but yesterday, wound about on every side, while the trees and wide patches of _manuka_ scrub imparted to the whole surroundings the appearance of an English park. Beyond, to the east, Mount Tauhara, the "Lone Lover" of the Maoris, rose forest-clad to its summit, while in the background a prairie-like expanse of open country rolled away to the distant ranges. High conical mountains, clothed with a luxuriant growth of bush, mounted up in the north, rolling hills stretched away to the west, while in the centre of the attractive landscape the Waikato River wound through its grand terraced valley to leap with a terrific roar over the Huka Falls.