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off to the right, towards what appeared to be a whare;
this whare, on approaching it, revealed to us a settler's
house, which, though built of wood, and thatched, had
nevertheless a homely appearance. The owners,
Michael Mahar and his wife, welcomed us.

Tuesday, February 21st, at 7 a.m., our natives and
their companions arrived, having passed the night at
the foot of the quarts hill, which we ascended. We
then started for the native pah at Pungarauawite, cross-
ing the Wairau river a quarter of an hour afterwards.
The greatest depth was about three feet, and the
strength of the current, where we waded, two or three
knots. The whole breadth was not more than 300
yards there were dry patches; yet this short distance
made our feet sore, having walked it bare-footed; it
was difficult to keep a firm footing.

Since September last very little rain has fallen in the
Wairau, so that the river at this time was as low as it
ever is likely to be. And yet in October, the eldest son
of Mahar was lost here. He was on horseback with
his brother; both arrived at the edge of the river,
about 10 p.m., and the youngest, having found the
proper spot, crossed in safety; the other told him he
would soon follow, that he was taking off his spurs, and
desired him to ride towards home. Supposing him to
have stopped on the bank of the river, not venturing to
cross until daylight, no anxiety was felt. In the morn-
ing his horse was found, and though many people were
for three weeks constantly looking for the rider, yet
nothing was found of him until a week before our ar-
rival, although it was six months since he was lost. It is
supposed that his horse slipped, and being spirited,
threw him, and that he was swept down by the current
into some deep hole.

In the winter, travellers are frequently detained by
the rains, which cause the river to swell until it is more
than a quarter of a mile broad, and makes it otherwise
impassable by the strength of current.

At the village of Pungarauawiti on the west bank of
the Waipau, the natives were very hospitable, giving us
eels, potatoes, damper, butter, and tea, and never hint-
ing at payment.

The river here is 150 yards broad, and very deep;
boats navigate five mlles above.

The pah, two miles from this village, had been re-
cently burnt by accident, the natives losing much wheat,
rice, and sugar.

Having visited Boulder Bank, we returned to Pun-
garauawiti: 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 out 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, ar-
riving at Orakiawhea at 3 p.m., where we found a boat
from the Pandora.

The natives walk easily from Mahakipawa to Punga-
rauawiti in one day, by a a road which leads near the
Waikakabo, a branch of the Wairau.

During a still night, reperts of distant guns were
distinctly heard, which proved afterwards to be H.M.S.
Fantome, firing at night quarters in Wellington, 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 Fan-
tome 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 Pelorus offers a better means of
shipment of the produce of the Wairau plains than

Pert Underwood. The swamps are barriers to road
making, and even if this were overcome, the difficulties
of navigating the Pelorus to the anchorage are consi-
derable.

The banks at the head of the Pelorus would prevent
vessel of burden approaching the Kaituna nearer than
eix miles; and during ordinary winde, 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 Chet-
wode island we left the Tawhitinui rench. It differs
from other portions of the Pelorus by having in it, be-
side Chetwode island, three islands, Tawhitinui, Awai-
ti, and Oaie; these latter all in that part of the reach,
where Croixilles 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 2000 and 3000 feet high.

The channel west of Chetwode island is called the
Apuan, 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 en-
trance are Kaiaua, a yellow point, and Moitena, having
a white rock off it resembling a boat under sail.

Waihmau 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, nansed after the Surveyor-General, im-
mediately 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 seventeen 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 tende westward to Admiralty Bay. There is a
rock covered at half tide in the channel between Kaka-
ho island and West Entry point, with twenty-five fms.
round it, although not more than three cables from the
west shore.

In coming through the Kakosho channel, bound for
the Pelorus, keep the Guard Island reeks on the star-
board how until West Entry point is open; then you
are clear of it.

There are in the Pelorus at least thirty bays or an-
chorages, mostly land locked, and safe in any winds The
gusts in bad weather are very furious. In these an-
chorages 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 pre-
vailing winds blow down the reaches from seaward, but
when it shifs to the S.E., it is accompanied by heavy
rain and violent gusts, lasting 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 Ka-
raka tree close to the beach, hollow beneath. On this
root was cut deep and distinctly "look under."