Smith. — Captain Dumont D'Urville's Visit i?i 1827. 419 



[Visit to Waitemata.] 



Chapter XV. — Exploration of Shouraki Bay ; Discovery of the 



Astrolabe Channel. 



We steered to the S.E. with a fine breeze from the north, keeping two and 

 three miles off the coast. From the anchorage up to Cape Papai-Outu 

 [Paepae-o-tua ; Bream Tail], which forms the southern point of Wangari 

 Bay, the coast is low and bare [this low coast fronts the Waipu Settle- 

 ment], and does not rise until after the cape is passed, where it becomes 

 also partly wooded. Beyond that again there is nothing but a series of 

 unifomi dunes, almost bare, up to four or five miles from Cape Tokatou- 

 Wenoua [Toka-tu-Whenua*] (Cape Rodney of Cook). After that the land 

 rises again, and is less mournful in appearance. On our left we passed 

 the elevated summits of Moro-tiri [Taranga] and the rock Toutourou 

 [Tuturu], like an isolated sight on a cannon, without any appearance of 

 verdure. 



At 7 p.m. exactly we passed between the Cape Tokatou-Wenoua and 

 the high island Shoutourou [Hauturu, Little Barrier], at less than half a 

 league from the first, and about six miles from the latter. The point of 

 Tokatou-Wenoua is not itself very elevated, and not until four or five miles 

 in the interior is it surmounted by a peak of about 150 toises [1,500 ft.] in 

 height [Mount Hamilton, Tamahunga]. 



The soundings, which all the afternoon had indicated 32 and 33 fathoms, 

 increased to 4:0 near the cape, although the distance from the coast was 

 only half as much as before. After passing it the indications again became 

 uniform, of 31 to 33 fathoms, as before, right up to mid-channel between 

 the main and Shoutourou. The night was very fine, and we passed it peace- 

 fully, lying to. 



24th February. — From 4 a.m. I steered to the W.S.W., to approach 

 Cape Tokatou-Wenoua. When daylight permitted us to see the land I saw 

 that the current had carried us during the night six or seven miles towards 

 the Cape Moe-Hao [Moehau] (Cape Colville of Cook). I endeavoured to 

 follow the coast as closely as possible, for my intention was to enter amongst 

 the islands to the west that Cook had only noticed hastily and in a ver}- 

 vague manner, so much was I desirous to complete the work of that great 

 navigator. 



Although the wind had become very light, at 8 a.m. we passed opposite 

 a projecting point terminated by some islets, and behind which should be 

 found an excellent anchorage [Tawharanui Point, just south of Whanga- 

 te-au Bay]. An instant after, a reef awash showed right ahead, which we 

 passed at 400 toises, whilst M. Guilbert went to reconnoitre it. It is a small 

 plateau of little extent, and w-hich offers no danger, having all round it 

 17 fathoms of water. 



With a fair wind Ave passed before a deep bay, which contains many 

 islets, bays, and channels. Towards 2 p.m. we passed under full sail 

 between an island to port (Tiri-Tiri-Matangui) [Tiritiri-matangi] . and a 

 peninsula on the right which is only joined to the mainland by a narrow 

 isthmus [Whanga-paraoa Peninsula]. In the channel, which is two or 

 three miles wide, the soundings decreased regularly from 20 to 17 fathoms. 



* [Near Cape Rodney is a place named Te Waka-tuwhenua, or the " Canoe of the 

 lepers." Here one of the ancient canoes that came from the Eastern Pacific landed her 

 crew, who had the leprosy, and nearly all died soon after landing. — Translator.] 

 14*_Trans. 



