110 MR, H. H. TBAVEES OK THE CHATHAM ISLANDS. 



"Wansraroa 



Tubong) I noticed large quantities of a small but beautiful shrub, 

 apparently belonging to the genus Leiicojpogon^ growing amongst 



grass 



Wari 



proceeded to Taupeka, once a large Maori settlement, but now 

 containing only a few huts. Here we slept, and on the next day 

 Avent to Kaingaroa, travelling along a sandy beach, fringed with 

 bush, into which we occasionally passed in order to avoid rocky 

 points projecting into the sea. With the exception of Eurybias, 

 I found no plants in flower ; and indeed the weather was so ex- 

 tremely wet, that I gave up all idea of collecting at that time. 

 We remained at Kaingaroa for three or four days, one of which I 

 spent at the residence of Mr. Shand at Wakuru, by whose family 

 I was hospitably entertained. Erom Kaingoroa we went to 

 Okawa or Waikiri, formerly the i3rincipal Maori settlement, and 



cannibal 



lied 



of highly crystalline limestone, which lies about a foot below 

 the surface of the water, and crosses it from east to west. This 

 reef is generally from forty to fifty yards broad, but occasionally 

 narrows to fourteen or fifteen yards, and has throughout a sloping 

 bank on each side. 



The lagoon is nearly twenty miles in length from north to 

 south, and from eight to nine broad at the north end, narrowing 

 to three or four at its southern extremity. It almost intersects 

 the island, the space between the north bank and the sea-shore 

 being little more than two miles broad, whilst at the south- 

 eastern end it is only separated from the sea by a sand-bank 

 100 or 150 yards in width. This bank is periodically broken 

 through by the accumulated waters of the lagoon, the breach, 

 after the lagoon has sunk to high-water mark, being repaired by 

 the wash of the sea from the south-east. The lagoon is in some 

 places bordered by extensive spongy tracts of Jungermannia^ in 

 others by grasses, sedges, and rushes, and in others again by 

 bush, similar to that which occurs on the sea-shore. I did not 

 find any water-plants, such as Potamogeton, &c., in any of the 

 lagoons, though in the centre of a small lagoon on the north side 

 of the island I observed some vegetable substances spread upon 

 the surface of the water ; in consequence, however, of the depth 

 of the water, and of their distance from the edge of the lagoon, 

 was imable to obtain any specimens. 



The general surface of Chatham Island, except of that part 



I 



