34 JOURNAL OF A NATURALIST 
brook to a large stream, causing me to fear that the narrow 
level spot on its banks, on which we were now encamped, 
would soon be overflowed. 
Dec. 31st.—Daybreak this morning found us much the 
same as daylight last evening left us,—with water on every 
side. The past night was one’ not likely to be soon for- 
gotten. "The heavy rain and rattling hail which unceasingly 
poured down,—the vivid lightnings and hollow.sounding 
thunder reverberating awfully in never-ending echoes among 
the hills, —the angry winds which furiously rushed in fitful 
roaring blasts through the ancient forests, rocking, and 
cracking, and lashing the monarchs of centuries as so many 
saplings of a year, stripping their leafy honours, and breaking 
off their branches, hurled them to the earth, —the hooting of 
owls, and shrieking of parrots, which flew affrightedly about 
seeking shelter,—all united to declare, in a voice too plain 
to be misunderstood, the great commotion Nature was 
undergoing;—fit knell for the departing year. 'lhe morn- 
ing was most gloomy; the rain stil incessant and our 
cold, wet, lonely, and all but starving situation, was any 
thing but pleasant; when, as if we wanted somewhat more 
to taste of the very acmé of cheerlessness, our only guide 
deserted us, returning to Waikare! He had intimated as 
much last evening, and I had kept a watch over him; he 
easily, however, found an opportunity of leaving us. My 
other natives were all from distant parts of the island, and 
knew no more of these districts than myself. ‘To go back to 
Waikare, was, from there being no proper path, not a whit 
easier journey than to go forward to the next village. The 
weather, however, confined us to our rude shelter, under 
which I, clad in light summer clothing, shiveringly sat, 
holding an old umbrella over my head. "Towards evening 
the rain moderated, and I ventured to walk a few yards from 
the door of my tent. On the banks of the stream I ob- 
tained a fine specimen of a small but handsome shrub of the 3 
Composita family (148), probably belonging to the genus 
Haztonia, or Brachyglottis. Here also I gathered magnifi- 
