294 towns. [1840. 



anchorage grounds. An occasional patch of marshy ground 

 may be seen along the shores of the bay, but the scenery is 

 for the most part bold and picturesque, — the surrounding 

 hills averaging from three to five hundred feet in height, and 

 at the head of the bay attaining an elevation of one thousand 

 feet. Forests of magnificent timber, and pretty groves, amidst 

 which the beautiful cottages of the foreign residents are 

 tastefully disposed, give to all a most pleasing effect. 



Wangarara Bay, thirty miles south of Cape Brett, is said 

 to be still safer than the Bay of Islands. It is a deep inden- 

 tation running parallel to the coast, and is separated from 

 the ocean by a narrow belt of high and rocky land. The an- 

 chorage is good six miles from the entrance, which, though 

 but one mile in width, is deep and free from danger. — Cloudy 

 Bay, near the south end of New Ulster, is a great place of 

 resort for whalers, many of whom live there ; and Port 

 Cooper, on the north side of Bank's Peninsula, is also an ex- 

 cellent harbor. 



First in commercial importance, of the towns in New 

 Zealand, is Kororarika, on the southern shore of the Bay of 

 Islands. It has the deepest water, in its bay, and is the best 

 sheltered from the wind. It contains over one hundred houses, 

 ond other buildings, among which is a Roman Catholic chapel, 

 and is filled with a heterogeneous population, numbering 

 about one thousand, and made up of civilized and uncivilized 

 natives, foreign residents, escaped convicts from the British 

 penal settlements, and runaway sailors. So famous was it, 

 at one time, for the scenes of iniquity and degradation it con- 

 stantly presented, that it was called "Black-guard Beaoh ;" 

 but since the British government have taken possession, i 

 police similar to that at Sydney has been introduced, and a 

 much better state of things now prevails. 



Pahia, on the opposite side <A' the bay, is very pleasantly 

 situated: the principal missionary establishment of the 11 

 copal church is located at this place : and here an- th • . 

 dences of those attached to tin; missions, and their printing 

 presses. East of Pahia is a now town, called Victoria, which 



