Here we obtained provisions, better and at a more rea-
sonable rate from Europeans and natives than anywhere
else on this coast.
At the head of the Bay is the River Uawa, with a bar
of five feet which is said to be constantly shifting, coast-
ers have occasionally entered it, the principal branch has
its rise to the northward.

TOLAGA BAY TO OPEN BAY.
Between Tolaga and the East Cape there is no good
anchorage, although coasters do sometimes anchor in
Tokomara and Open Bays, yet they can only be ap-
proached in fine weather, and scarcely deserve the
name of bays.
Four miles north of Tolaga is Marau Point, a bluff
projection off which there is a reef awash, rather more
than a mile east of the point, this extends N.N.W. and
S.S.E. half a mile.
N.N.W. two miles from Marau Point is the island of
Anzura, a quarter of a mile from the main, with a boat
passage between. It is sterile and precipitous, three-
quarters of a mile in length, and forms the southern
point of a bight called Waipari Bay, which is about a
mile and a half broad with sandy shores, the north
point, and indeed the whole of this Bay, is rocky.
From Anaura Island to Mawai is North four and a
half miles, midway is a rocky islet, (Motu Repa) which
has a narrow channel of five fathoms within it. Before
reaching Mawai Point is a small cove, called by the
whalers St. Patrick's Cove, which is well sheltered for
boats, this cove takes its name from a curious pinnacle,
which seen from seaward appears like a gigantic figure
of a man with his arms folded.
Mawai Point (forming the south head of Tokomaru)
is a sharp and barren projection surrounded by rocks.
On the south side of Tokomaru Bay the rocks are visi-
ble; the Hikutu rocks in the middle of the bay have
fourteen fathoms all round them, and are visible only at
low water. The heads are four miles apart N. by E.
and S. by W. No vessels, but such coasters as
know the channels among the rocks, should attempt this
bay for it is a very open anchorage.
North of Tokomaru the coast is precipitous trending
N. by W, for three fand a half miles (to Waipiro or
Open Bay) and backed by a hill-Tawhiti-which rises
to the hight of 1670 feet (the highest peak on the Coast.
East of this peak, and half a mile from the shore, is the
Island Mowhiauru about thirty feet high encircled by
rocks.

OPEN BAY (WAIPIRO)
Will be known by its being the opening the north of Ta-
whiti Hill, it is four miles from north to south, and is little
more than one mile deep. There is a considerable stream
in the south western corner of the Bay, but the landing
there is generally difficult; in the middle of the Bay
a quarter of a mile from the beach, is a reef immediately
north of the Pah. Off the north point (Matahau) there
is a reef extending (parallel to the beach) a quarter of
a mile, within which boats can effect a landing and
from whence produce is shipped. There is nine fa-
thoms in the middle of the Bay in a line with the heads,
and a rocky patch having two fathoms is said to exist
on the N.W. corner of it, but this we did not find,
another rock is said to exist one mile N.E. of Matahau
called Tokamonga.
The next danger is off Kaimouhu, a round head 670
feet high, these sunken rocks extend eastward for a
mile, and about the same distance north and south; we
found four fathoms close to, and seventeen fathoms, two
cables east of them. Again three miles North of this
and one mile S.S.E. of Reporua Village, are detached
sunken rocks a good mile from the beach, and foul
ground half a mile outside, with four fathoms, between
these rocks, and the shore there is eight fathoms, and
only ten fathems two miles from the beach.
Point Wharariki (the South point of the Awanui) is
three and a half miles north of the the Reporua Village,
rocks extend half a mile all round it. The coast (from
three cables off) appears now to be clear of dangers to
the East Cape Islet.
From Open Bay to the East Cape the coast is varied
by white streaked cliffs, with sandy beaches intervening;
the country is more or less cultivated.

35
Six miles south of the East Cape is the Waipu
stream, which is considerable at high water, the freshes
come down with great violence so as to render it unsafe
as an anchorage even for the smallest vessels. It takes
its rise under Ikaurangi, traversing through the various
ranges and draining a considerable extent of country.
The land about the East Cape presents the most
mountainous feature of the Northern Island, the sum-
mits of five distinct ranges may be seen, backed by the
snow-capped Ikourangi, a most conspicuous mountain
rising to the height of 5535 feet, twenty-eight miles
S.E. by S. of the Cape.
The East Cape is remarkably white (clayish sand), and
this barren feature reaches to Hick's Bay in steep
cliffs to the westward, and in broken cliffs with valleys
intervening to the southward.
The East Cape Islet (half a mile in circuit) is a type
of the Cape, having but a small proportion of stunted
verdure, it is steep and almost inaccessible and
bounded by rocks, having a ledge extending from its
northern extreme N.N.E. half a mile.
When the Western points trending to Hick's
Bay are well open the Islet, anchorage will be found in
sixteen fathoms within two miles of it, and when the
weather admits a vessel might ride out the tide to
great advantage.
The water deepens again to the Southward until
within a mile of the Islet, when it will be found to
shoal suddenly to twelve and nine fathoms, which latter
depth will be carried to a cable from the Islet.
There is a channel nearly a mile wide between the
East Cape and the Islet, but as the winds here are liable
to die away suddenly, leaving the vessel at the mercy of
the tides and swell, it cannot be recommended. Flood
tide sets to the Northward and from East Cape to the
Westward.
From the preceding remarks it will be seen that the
East Coast from Young Nick's Head (in Poverty Bay)
to the East Cape, about seventy miles,-has only two
roadsteads for ships of burden, viz.:-
Turanga and Tolaga-that the Coast has many dan-
gers within a league of it, that in fine weather and
Westerly winds, there are a few places where cargo can
be shipped by vessels anchoring cautiously off the
Coast.
There are few places, (if any) where even coasting
schooners would be safe in a gale, for the rivers are
only accessible in fine weather, at the proper time of
tide.
Besides avoiding the Ariel Reef, a stranger should
not approach the coast nearer than a league, and I know
no coast where the position of a vessel may be better
determined by night as well as by day. The soundings
will be found to decrease from about forty fathoms two
leagues off, to twenty-four one league off, green mud over
twenty-four, and fine sand within twenty-four fathoms;
great advantage can be taken by standing off or in ac-
cording to tide.

BAY OF PLENTY.
HICK'S BAY,
Is nearly two miles deep by one and a half broad,
the bottom is greeuish mud, good holding ground,
shoaling very suddenly towards the sandy beach at the
head. The north and south shores are very steep gen-
erally faced by perpendicular cliffs and off lying rocks
(the latter are within half a cable of the high water.)
The north point (Mata Kawa) is a long low rocky
tongue of indurated sand stone with a crust of scoria,
the rocks off it are all visible having twenty-five fa-
thoms within a cable of the extreme.
The south point (Kohau) is almost inaccessible; it
forms the division between the long bay of Panaruku
and Hick's Bay.
From all westerly winds, north to south, Hick's Bay
affords secure anchorage. In north winds-which are
not uncommon-it is sheltered, but vessels must get
well within Matakawa point.
N.E. gales which generally spring from the eastward
and gradually freshen, give 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