430 Transactions. 



of pebbles on which the sea broke, and beyond that a marsh, impracticable, 

 and covered with Pkormium. In general, this part of the Shouraki Bay 

 cannot compare in appearance and fertility of soil with the shores of the 

 Astrolabe Channel. 



At 6.20 p.m., the wind having passed to the N.N.E., and the current 

 turned towards the head of the bay, we anchored in 5 fathoms, two miles 

 from the ^hore. All day we had seen a great fire on the Shouraki side ; 

 but no canoe came out to us, which proves that the tribe inhabiting that 

 district is poor and not numerous. [The fact is that the Ngati-Maru and 

 other tribes owning this part of the Thames district had mostly been driven 

 to the upper Thames by the constant incursions of the Nga-Puhi.] 



1st March. — A fresh breeze from the east blew all night, which we 

 profited by at 5.20 a.m. to continue our route, following the coast two or 

 three miles distant, so as to seize on all the details. At noon we made 

 a " station " on the parallel of the northernmost of the Islands of the East, 

 of Cook, the Wai-Hao [Waiau, probably — i.e., Coromandel Harbour], Wai- 

 Mate [Waimate], Papa-Eoa [Paparoa, which is a place on the mainland 

 five miles north of Coromandel], and Moutou-Kawao [Motu-Kawau] in the 

 Native language. These islands would offer excellent anchorages, as also 

 would several well-marked bays along the coast. This latter rapidly rises 

 everywhere in escarped mountains covered with forest. The summit, Moe- 

 Hao [Moehau],* which ends in the cape of the same name (Cape Colville of 

 Cook), is remarkable for its elevation. All this land seemed to us unin- 

 habited, and we saw no other smoke but that of which I have already 

 spoken. 



We had charming weather and a smooth sea ; but the breeze, which was 

 feeble, only allowed us to advance slowly. All the same, we succeeded in 

 getting to the north of the channel formed by Cape Moe-Hao and the island 

 of Otea [Aotea]. We passed at five miles an island in the channel [Taka- 

 pau, otherwise Te-poito-o-te-kupenga-o-Taramai-nuku !], and at 6 p.m. were 

 about mid-channel between Shoutourou [Hauturu] and Otea. The calm 

 surprised us in that place, and we were obliged to pass the whole night 

 directing all our efforts to avoid falling on one or the other. 



Every time we were becalmed the crew caught with lines an astonishing 

 quantity of fine fish belonging to the species Dorade unicolor, which are 

 excellent eating. It is the same fish that Cook calls " bream," and appeared 

 to be prodigiously abundant in these parts. Whilst we were at anchor off 

 the Mogoia [Tamaki] River, the Natives of Tamaki loaded their canoes in 

 the space of a few hours. To-day the crew soon caught hundreds, and 

 there was enough to supply each plate with ample provision. 



2nd March. — At 2 a.m. we found that the current had taken us near 

 to the coast of Shoutourou [Hauturu, or Little Barrier], and afterwards 

 carried us towards the strait of Moe-Hao. At daylight the calm still pre- 

 vailed, and we were obliged to remain in the same position. The channel 

 which separates the two islands of Shoutourou and Otea has a width of 

 seven or eight miles, and appears very safe, with regular soundings of 

 30 fathoms. Shoutourou rises rapidly on all sides up to a conical mountain 

 of a considerable height, and is easily seen from all parts of Shouraki Bay 

 [Hauraki Gulf]. The surf breaks all round it, rendering it difficult for 



* [The Geological Depaitment, quite wrongly, call this mountain " Te Moehau," 

 which is not the name given to it by Tama-te-Kapua, cai)tain of the " Arawa " canoe, 

 clrcn 1350. There is no " Te " in the name. — Translator.] 



