Colenso. — On Waikaremoana District. 379 



newly-engaged native companions to travel and the great 

 loquacity of my guide. 



The next morning, breakfast over, we set forward, two 

 chiefs of the place going with us. Just beneath the plantation 

 we had to cross the outrageous river, and that over a dangerous 

 and wide rapid : the worst part of it had two trees felled and 

 thrown on it ; myself and dog had some difficulty in getting 

 across, but eventually did so in safety. The tumbling water 

 was very noisy, and the scene quite romantic. From this 

 place to the lake was nearly all ascent. In about two hours we 

 arrived there, and found the waters like a raging sea. The 

 wind was strong from the north-west, and the noise of the tall 

 trees in commotion and waves and water surging against the 

 rocks was almost deafening: it was with great difficulty one 

 could hear his own voice. Here, at Te Onepoto, a small 

 fenced village on this immediate shore of the lake, were about 

 forty natives : most of them, however, were from Wairau, on 

 the opposite shore ; they welcomed us heartily in their usual 

 boisterous hospitable way. 



The next morning the wind, which had been blowing 

 furiously all night, was as strong as ever ; no crossing the lake 

 while this continues. 



Friday, 22nd. — Wind still very high. A very heavy storm 

 of hail fell to-day, which made it very cold, the hail lying on 

 the ground for some time, giving the place the appearance of 

 snow. A canoe came across the lake to-day before the wind 

 (the largest I had ever seen here) to fetch potatoes. Towards 

 evening I proposed starting, but the natives of the place were 

 not willing to go until to-morrow. When here last, at Christ- 

 mas, 1841, I was detained six days through the high winds, 

 and I fear this will also be the case this time. 



23rd. — Eose early. Found the lake a perfect calm. The 

 natives, however, procrastinated as usual, and went at 8 a.m. 

 to a village about a mile distant to have a tangi (cry over the 

 dead) for a child lately deceased. By 10 a.m. they returned, 

 but the wind had again begun to rise. However, I struck my 

 tent and packed up, but by the time they had cooked food 

 and fetched potatoes in flax baskets from their storehouses the 

 wind had risen considerably, and the lake was quite rough. 

 They had about forty baskets of potatoes, besides pigs, &c, as 

 cargo, and were above twelve in number, so they well filled 

 their canoe ; and we, being eight persons, with our baggage 

 aud my dog, could not possibly enter to cross with any pro- 

 spect of safety as the lake then was, so I was obliged to lose 

 this opportunity. I sent two natives of the place with them 

 to bring back the canoe. They were a long time in crossing ; 

 and by evening the canoe returned to us, but with great 

 difficulty. The wind being again too strong to venture on the 



