60 JOURNAL OF A NATURALIST 
tering no little hardship and danger, we landed near the 
upper end of Otamatea inlet, on the north-east side of 
Kaipara. Here the boat left us, and we soon found that our 
situation was ten times worse than before; for there was 
no path, nor the slightest indication of the treading of a 
human foot in these solitary and pathless deserts. Return 
we could not, for our boat was gone; stand still we dared not, 
as our small supply of food was fast diminishing ; proceed 
we hardly cared to think of, not knowing whither our tor- 
tuous course would end, in a country like this, where we 
now, for the first time, were hemmed in among tangled 
brakes and primeval forests, bounded by a distant horizon of 
high and broken hills. In this exigency I determined on 
proceeding by compass in as straight a line as possible to the 
eastern coast; for although I had not a map with me, I was 
well aware that the Island was narrow in these parts. Words 
however fail to describe what we had to undergo in forcing 
our way through the horrid interwoven mass of shrubs, 
creepers, and fern, and prostrate trees, and swamps, and 
mud. Suffice to say, that by dint of extreme exertion I 
providentially gained the sand-hills at Manga' wai, on the east 
coast, by ten a.m., on Monday the 14th. Descending the hilly 
range on the sea-coast, I found there was an extensive inlet 
to cross, which, as the tide was flowing fast, I lost no time 
in fording; so plunging in, I waded to the opposite shore, 
the water being breast-high. I supposed my natives to be 
following pretty closely after me ; and feeling quite an appe- 
tite for my breakfast, having walked nearly six hours this 
morning, I commenced looking narrowly about for fresh 
water, continuing my journey towards the coast. Here, ex- 
hausted though I was, I discovered and secured an hitherto 
unnoticed species of Leptospermum, a shrub or small tree, 
growing plentifully on the sand-hills, from 6 to 10 feet in 
height, bearing a villous capsule (255), apparently near L. 
attenuatum, Sw. Here, too, a shrub of the Order Com- 
posite (perhaps identical with Cassinia leptophylla), was - 
seen profusely, of which I brought away a specimen for — 
