ME. H. H. TRAVEBS ON THE CHATHAM ISLANDS. 139 



them as were destined for the nonce to be eaten were then laid 



ground 



Mere 



It is not more 



than twenty years since the Maories gave up these feasts. 



More 



unable 



condition. 



skulls 



which will probably be interesting for ethnological purposes. 



As I had determined to make Pitt's Island my head (Quarters, 

 m consequence of its offering greater advantages as a collecting- 

 ground, I took the opportunity of my first visit to Chatham 

 Island to travel round it. Accordingly on Tuesday, the 27th of 



Mr 



Island) 



miles north of Waitangi. The road led partly through a belt of 

 bush, which, for a depth of two or three miles, forms a fringe 

 round a large portion of the island, and partly along the sea-shore. 

 The weather, unfortunately, was extremely wet, as, indeed, it was 

 during the whole of my stay on Chatham Island. The bush con- 

 sisted principally of Euryhias, Coprosmas^ KaraJca^ JDracophyllum^ 

 Solanum^ &c., with several tree ferns (amongst which I noticed 

 large numbers of Cyaihea dealhatd)^ the whole so interwoven 

 with our old friend the Supplejack, as to be almost impenetrable. 

 Amongst the ferns I found a Lomaria closely allied to, if not 

 identical with, Lomaria discolor, PJiymatodes Billardieri and 

 pmtulata^ and several others, common in the bush in New Zea- 

 land. On the beach the Myosotiditim nohile grew with rank 

 luxuriance wherever it had not been invaded by the pigs, which 

 feed eagerly upon the roots. The Maories dry the leaves, and 



substitute for tobacco. Where 



with 



Christchtxrch 



From the Bed Bluff we proceeded to AVangaroa, on the north 

 side of Petre Bay, and thence, leaving a large tract of sand- 



between that nlace and Tuboner on our 



Wan 



This 



past several small lagoons, apparently destitute of water-plants, 

 but fringed partly with rushes and partly with bush similar to 

 that before described. The country here is low, and is now 

 covered with a young growth of grasses and sedges, mixed with 

 I^teris cseulenta, and with here and there occasional patches of 

 Phormium tenax. * 



