sufficient warning to weigh, no vessel should
lie here during N.E. or S.E. winds.

From the S.E. wind which is much more
constant here than in the Hauraki Gulf,
vessels may be sheltered by standing down
to the white cliffs five miles to the eastward
of Hick’s Bay, anchoring in nine to twelve
fathoms one and a-half miles west of the
Awatere River and within a mile of the
beach.

Fresh water can be obtained in Hick’s
Bay, from a gully within half a mile of Mata
Kawa point. There is however some difficulty in landing if the wind blows fresh
outside, for then there is a swell rolling into
the bay; there is also a considerable stream,
having fresh water five to six feet deep in
the N.W. corner. Supplies may be obtained from a native village (Wharekahika)
in the S.W. nook of the bay.

The natives catch Hapuku off Kohau
Point, just within which there is a very
small and deep sound where they retreat to,
and which forms their best landing place,
excepting the present whaling station, one
mile within Matakawa Point, where the
isolated rocks form a boat harbour.

Hick’s Bay to Cape Runaway

From Hick’s Bay to Cape Runaway is
west eighteen miles, a desolate country.
There are three points, including Cape
Runaway, and of the same formation, and
therefore readily mistaken. In sloping from
the range facing seaward, they rise to a
small peak before they again taper in the
same direction.

Point Midway and Point Lottin have this
feature. There is a small sandy bight east
of the former and west of the latter, but
neither are anchorages.

The depth of the water is very considerable, and should the wind fail there is no anchorage on this part of the coast, and constant swell setting towards it. Soundings
in twenty fathoms two cables, and forty to
fifty within a mile.

The hills bordering the coast (rising to
800 feet) are clothed with thick bush one
third down from their summits, and their
steepness will render any cultivation very
difficult.

Point Lottin is eight miles west of Hick’s
Bay, and making the land from the northward, this point of the coast may be readily
known by a peak to the southward, seen
much higher than the general range, and
the land being lower west of Lottin than
towards Hick’s Bay.

From Cape Runaway (Tikirau) to the
westward up the Bay of Plenty, the coast
is very different, intersected by rivers, and
having large blocks of land under cultivation.

The Cape has some detached rocks
a quarter of a mile north of it, but with
twenty fathoms close to and a passage with
six fathoms between them and it.

It is well however to avoid it, as the
tides are strong. E.S.E. half a mile from
these rocks is another, a-wash at low water,

Wangaparawa Bay

Having Cape Runaway for its north
point, has an anchorage in S.E. winds off
the present whaling station, two miles
S.S.E. of the Cape. Vessels of any burden
should not approach the shore nearer than
twelve fathoms, anchoring about a mile
west of the conical hill over the station;
south of which, a quarter of a mile, is a
fordable river, Wangaparawa, winding
through a vast plain towards Hick’s Bay.
Up to this stream the coast is rocky and
difficult to effect a landing. Beyond the
river is a shingle beach, one and a half
miles long, and then about the same extent
of white cliffs, eighty feet high, having
terraces of fine table land on the summit.

There is a ledge of rocks extending
nearly half a mile off the south end of these
cliffs, and then a sandy bay, extending to
the long low part of Orete, which is five and
a half miles S.W. half S. of Cape Runaway.

Upon the slightest appearance of a westerly wind, a vessel should not remain at
anchor off the whaling station, and although
well sheltered from a N.E. wind, it would
be dangerous to ride it out, for these winds
always shift to the northward and westward;
and would bring in such a sea as to render
it very difficult to get out.

The anchorage under Orete point, about
half a mile within it, affords excellent shelter in S.W. and westerly winds. Bringing
the outer extreme of the rocks off it to bear
W. and N. and anchoring in from ten to
seven fathoms fine sand.

The anchorage in Wangaparawa is open
to another objection; between the changes
from S.E. to westerly winds, there is frequently a calm, the westerly wind being
preceded by a swell, and coming in flaws.
The Pandora was thus placed in a critical
position on two occasions.

From Orete, Westward, Round the Bay of Plenty

Orete to Waikanae is S.W. nine and a half
miles, for the most part a rocky coast and
shingle beach, immediately west of Orete
there are sunken rocks, three quarters of a
mile from the shore, and the ground is every
where foul within half a mile of the beach.
Within the first five miles are the villages
of Orete, Otawhao, Rau ko kore, and its
river of the same name.

From Kotiki Point to Waikanae the coast
is steep and rugged, with thirty-five fathoms
five miles off; but there is not above half
that depth at the same distance after passing