L840.] harbors. 293 



into the Bay of Islands. The names of the former are Kawa- 

 Kawa, Kiri-Kiri, Loytangi, Waicaddie, and Warooa. There 

 are some fine cascades in the last mentioned stream, and in 

 the Kiri-Kiri there is a magnificent waterfall to which the 

 natives have given the poetic appellation of Want-Want, or 

 "the waters of the rain-bow." One hundred and forty 

 miles south of the Bay of Islands, is the Thames, or Waihou, 

 and on the west side of the island is the Hokianga, both of 

 which are considerable streams. The tide flows up many of 

 the smaller rivers, and the larger ones are navigable for 

 some distance by vessels of heavy burden. The Hokianga, 

 however, has a bar at its mouth which obstructs the navisra- 

 tion, though it is ascended by boats as high as tide water, 

 thirty miles up. 



(3.) Perhaps there is no country in the world, having an 

 equal extent of coast, that possesses more or finer harbors 

 and roadsteads. This is especially true of New Ulster, whose 

 shores are generally iron-bound, and quite dangerous to those 

 not familiar with the channels and openings. Its harbors are 

 principally formed by indentations in the coast. The chief 

 importance is justly attached to the Bay of Islands, on the 

 eastern shore. This is shaped like an open hand in the act 

 of grasping the island, and derives its name from the great 

 number of rocky islets with which it is studded. At its en- 

 trance, which is about eleven miles in width, it has Cape Brett 

 on the south, and Point Pocock on the north. It is spacious 

 and commodious, affording ample room for vessels to beat in, 

 and is surrounded with bays and inlets, some larger and some 

 smaller, extending in every direction, and presenting secure 

 places of retreat when the winds mutter their hoarse wait- 

 ings, and the loud roar of the beating surge is echoed from 

 headland to headland. 



Within the Bay of Islands, the anchorages most frequented 

 are the roadstead of Tepuna, on the north side of the bay, 

 and opposite to the mission of that name ; and the Bay of 

 Kororarika, and the Kawa-Kawa river, on the southern shore. 

 Other numerous inlets and indentations afford deep and safe 



