THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 167

river Mokau, in this place thirty yards
wide, but shallow; and thence over five
miles of broken country to Motukaramu.
The latter, via Pukewhau, runs through
a low and swampy country for about 5 miles
to Te Wairere, the principal water fall on the
Mokau river. The crossing place is about 300
yards above the fall. In the summer time,
when the water is low, horses find no difficult y
in crossing on the fall. From here the road
passes through an open country for about two
miles to the settlement of Pukewhau, and thence
to Motukaramu, a distance of seven miles, cros-
sing the river Mokauiti, and numerous swamps.

From Pukewhau there is a track leading
southwards to Whanganui, passing the small
settlement of Pukeuwha, and an old, but very
large settlement named Te Tamahina, for a
distance of twenty miles over a level and open
country; then passing over dangerous pre-
cipices, three small rivers, and numerous
swamps. Some horses and cattle passed in
safety a few days after my party, on their way
to Whanganui. The distance from Puke-
whau to the Ohura Creek is about 30 miles, where
the old native track to Taranaki branches off.
This track, though for the most part passing
over a fine, rich, and level forest country, is
rendered unavailable, from its being intersected
by two dangerous and almost impassable pre-
cipices. It comes out on the Waitara river, a
short distance above the famous Pukerangiora
pa, where upwards of two thousand of the
Taranaki natives were killed or taken captive
by the united tribes of Waikato and Ngati-
maniapoto.

The difficulties thrown in my way by the
Natives put it out of my power to give any
minute details relative to that part of the
country which lies between Mokau, Whanga-
nui, and Taranaki; but judging from the ex-
tensive views of the surrounding country which
I obtained from the high lands, and my per-
sonal explorations in the district, I am of
opinion that it would be found impossible to
carry out a road to the West Coast anywhere
in the neighbourhood of the Mokau river; and
this opinion is strengthened by the existence of
a succession of lofty ranges, numerous rivers,
and a dense forest which covers a totally un-
known and unexplored country.

FROM OTAWHAO TO AHURIRI,

(About 165 miles.)

From Otawhao the road rums through a beau-
tiful country to the settlements of Kihikihi,
Orakau, and Maungatautari, by the old pa of
Aratita to Te Taupaki, a Native settlement,
and on to Arowhena, a distance of 27 miles.
All the creeks and swamps have been bridged
over, with four exceptions. It is a good level
road, requiring only a trifling outlay for the
repair and completion of the bridges. Beyond
Arowhena it passes through about a mile and a
half of bush, to an open but very broken coun-
try, crossing three small creeks and one swamp
to a steep descent to the Mangawhio river,

which is about 30 feet wide, and from 2 to 3
feet deep, with a rocky bottom. On the oppo-
site side is a steep ascent to an open fern
country, crossing one small creek, and descend-
ing gradually to the Waipapa river, over a
narrow and rocky pass, over which a bridge has
been thrown for the convenience of foot pas-
sengers. The crossing place for horses is about
300 yards higher up, where the river is 30
yards wide, with a good sound gravelly bottom,
about 4 feet deep. The road now ascends, for
upwards of a mile, a very steep hill, to an open
country, crossing the river Waititi twice and
one small creek, after which it ascends a narrow
neck of land, which in wet weather is very
slippery, and rendered dangerous by the preci-
pices on either side; but this, I am of opinion,
might be avoided by a slight deviation to the
eastward. The road now gradually descends
to the Mangakino river, 30 yards wide, and 4
feet deep, with a hard gravelly bottom, and
continues on through a pleasant and open
country, crossing one wide and deep swamp [to
where a road branches off to Taupo and Pukawa.
the settlement of Te Heuheu,] and thence, but
much more indistinctly, through a level country
over 4 small creeks and 3 swamps, the latter
deep and rather dangerous for horses, to the
large but thinly populated settlement of Tua-
rapaki, which is distant from Arowhena
about 30 miles. The country round Tua-
rapaki is celebrated for its pigeons,
which are sent as presents to all parts of
the island. Hence the road passes through
about a mile of forest, and opens on a
fine grassy country, crossing four of the widest
and most dangerous swamps on the road; these
however may be avoided by making a long de-
viation to the Westward; thence to the popu-
lous pa of Otahanga by a long and steep
ascent, and descending again through a mile of
forest to the settlement of Oruanui. There is,
I believe, a better, though circuitous, path to
Oruanui which avoids the ascent to, and the Pa
of, Otahanga. The distance from Tuarapaki to
Otahanga is about 13 miles. From Oruanui
the road makes a circuit, to avoid a dangerous
swamp and landslip, through an open and level
country to the crossing on the Waikato River,
where the latter enters the Taupo lake, passing
near several hot springs, and crossing three
small creeks and two swamps. From the fact
of there being no Natives resident in the neigh-
bourhood of the Waikato, it is necessary that
one should be engaged at Otahanga to assist in
ferrying across the river; the best place for
crossing is at a hot spring and creek, named
Otumuake, which discharges itself into the
Waikato, where the river is about 150 yards
wide, and very deep, with numerous rapids. I
may also mention that I found the Natives of
Otahanga obliging, and very willing to render
assistance in crossing at a reasonable rate. The
distance from Otahanga to Waikato is twelve
miles. From the Waikato for two miles beyond
Paetiki the road becomes dangerous from the
numerous hot springs, fissures, and chasms
which border on either side. In this neighbour-