120

The river here is 150 yards broad, and very
deep; boats can navigate five miles above.
The pah, two miles from this village, had been
recently burnt by accident, the natives losing
much wheat, rice, and sugar.
Having visited Boulder Bank, we returned to
Pungaranawiti; but, missing the road, we passed
with great difficulty through a swamp. On arriving
at the village, we were again treated with great
kindness.
We left Mahar's house on the 25th. We again
tried a short cut by walking straight for the hills,
and, as a natural consequence, passed through a
swamp up to our middles; we walked round the
base of the hills, arriving at Orakiwhen at 3, p.m.,
where we found a boat from the Pandora.
The natives walk easily from Mahakipawa to
Pungaranawiti in one day, by a road which leads
near the Waikakaho, a branch of the Wairau.
During a still night, reports of distant guns were
distinctly heard, which proved afterwards to be
H.M.S. Fantome, firing at night quarters in Wel-
lington, at a distance of 38 miles. There could
have been no other guns in Cook's Straits. The
natives as well as ourselves felt assured they were
guns; and we have since found that the Fantome
was firing at that exact time.

From the observations of the officers on this
pass (for illness prevented me from prosecuting the
journey), I cannot believe that the Pelorus offers
a better means of shipment of the produce of the
Wairau plains than Port Underwood. The swamps
are barriers to road making, and even if this were
overcome, the difficulties of navigating the Pelorus
to the anchorage are considerable.
The banks at the head of the Pelorus would
prevent a vessel of burden approaching the
Kaituna nearer than six miles; and during ordi-
nary winds, it would take a sailing vessel three
days to work out, with difficulty of reaching an
anchorage of moderate depth. We had on one
occasion to let go a bower anchor in 37 fathoms,
and it is necessary to anchor in every tide.
To continue the description of the Pelorus: At
Chetwode's Island we left the Tawhitinui reach.
It differs from other portions of the Pelorus by
having in it, beside Chetwode Island, three islands,
Tawhitinui, Awaiti, and Oaie; these latter all in
that part of the reach where Croizelles harbour is
separated by an easy half hour's walk over a hill
of 600 feet.
Kawai Sound forms the head of Tawhitinui.
The four bays at its head are all of the same
nature, backed by mountains from 2,000 and
3,000 feet high.
The channel west of Chetwode Island is called
the Apuaa, and is half a mile broad, with 27
fathoms. There is a double bay south of it, which
cannot be three miles from the French Pass; but
the range dividing is very precipitous. As we
proceed outwards along the west coast, we come
to Waitata Bay, perfectly clear, with fourteen
fathoms throughout. The points of entrance are
Kaiaua, a yellow point, and Motiena, having a
white rock off it, resembling a boat under sail.
Waihinau Bay is considered a good anchorage
by the natives, as the squalls are not so heavy as
in those on either side; but the only danger in
the Pelorus is at the mouth of this bay—the
Kainoki rock, having one foot on it at low water:
from it, Danger Point, the north point of the bay,
bears N.N.W. half a mile, and West Entry Point,
N.E. by E., one and a quarter miles.
Port Ligar, named after the Surveyor General,
immediately within the West Entry Point, is a fine
harbour, and equal to any in Cook's Straits. The
outer portion, called Kopi, has fourteen to seven-
teen fathoms. The north part of this harbour is
separated by a narrow creek, of a quarter of a
mile, from Admiralty Bay, Cook's Straits.
The north entrance to Port Ligar is formed by
a long yellow clay point tapering to the water.
From it the land trends N. by E., one and a
quarter miles to a bluff point opposite the Kakaho
Island. From thence the coast trends westward to
Admiralty Bay. There is a rock covered at half
tide in the channel between Kakaho Island and
West Entry Point, with 25 fathoms round it,
although not more than three cables from the west
shore.
In coming through the Kakaho channel,
bound for the Pelorus, keep the Guard Island
rocks on the starboard bow until West Entry
Point is open. Then you are clear of it.
There are in the Pelorus at least thirty bays or
anchorages, mostly land locked, and safe in any
winds. The gusts in bad weather are very furious.
In these anchorages water may always be found,
and an abundance of fish may be caught off the
points.
The tides in the stream run from two to three
knots: the effect is scarcely felt in the anchorages.
The prevailing winds blow down the reaches from
seaward; but when it shifts to the S.E., it is
accompanied by heavy rain and violent gusts, last-
ing forty-eight hours.
I may here remark that on visiting Queen
Charlotte's Sound, in January, 1854, we found in
Ship's Cove the following interesting relics of
Cook:—The root of a Karaka tree close to the
beach, hollow beneath: on this root was cut deep
and distinctly, \"Look under.\" The only portion
disfigured being the last syllable of \"under,\"
which has made some travellers believe that the
\"look\" is \"Cook,\" and the \"und\" the beginning
of \"end—eavour.\" But I think the following
extract from Cook's voyages explains the case:—
\"The morning before we sailed, I wrote a
memorandum, setting forth the time we last
arrived, the day we sailed, the route I intended to
take, and such other information as I thought
necessary for Captain Furneaux, in case he should
put into the Sound; and buried it in a hole under
the foot of a tree in the garden, which is in the
bottom of the cove, in such a manner as might be
found by him or any European who might put into
the cove. I, however, had little reason to hope it
would fall into the hands of the person for whom
it was intended, thinking it hardly possible that
the Adventure could be in any port in New Zea-
land, as we had not heard of her in all this time.
Nevertheless, I was resolved not to leave the coast
without looking for her where I thought it most
likely for her to be.\"
A few yards behind it there is an old tree with
T. Brown the \"e\" being left out. The natives did
not seem to be aware of this relic, but they call
the root \"Cook's tree;\" and I sincerely hope that
it may be preserved, and think the natives must
have been attentive to it, or it could scarcely have
escaped the fires 82 years.
I have pleasure in annexing a summary of the
remarks of Dr. Jolliffe, as drawn up by that officer,
including the ornithology, botany, icthyology, &c.,
of the estuary.

BIRDS MET WITH IN PELORUS.
HAWKS—two kinds.