418 Transactions. 



them have taken place. But the desolation of the country referred to by 

 D'Urville was caused by Ngati-Whatua, of Waitemata, who, in 1824, had 

 destroyed or driven away most of the inhabitants around Whangarei Heads. 

 See " Wars of the Northern against the Southern Tribes in the Nineteenth 

 Century," p. 148.] 



Here, in spite of most favourable circumstances for the researches of 

 an entomologist — a brilliant sunshine after a long rain — I had occasion to 

 remark again the singular paucity of many species of insects on the soil of 

 New Zealand — no Coleoptera, no Lepidoptera ; nothing but some Orthoptera, 

 Hemiptera, and Diptera, such as locusts, crickets, bugs, and flies. The birds 

 were more numerous, but very wild. Excellent oysters covered the rocks, 

 and large sea-weeds carpeted the intervals between them. 



As soon as M. Lottin had completed his work, which took about an 

 hour, I made my way towards Rangui's camp, which was established on a 

 little flat under the flanks of Tewara Peninsula, and sheltered from all 

 winds. A rapid glance over his establishment soon convinced me that it 

 was but temporary : it was only a flying camp, where that rangatira had 

 placed himself with his troop as a vedette awaiting the rest of the army. 

 Two or three huts made of branches sei'\'ed as tents ; a great nimiber of 

 baskets full of fern-root (ngadoua) [aruhe] ; a quantity of fish suspended 

 in the air to dry, of which half were decomposed, exhaling a disagree- 

 able odour ; bundles of spears, and sometimes muskets covered with 

 mats : behold the baggage of these adventurers ! There were no pigs, 

 no appearance of cultivations — nothing but a handsome cock, which I 

 purchased. 



As nearly all had gone on board the ship, there only remained on guard 

 one man, two or three women, and some children. 



Having questioned Rangui more particularly, after some shifting he 

 ended by avowing that he was conducting the advance guard of a military 

 expedition directed this year by the people of the Bay of Islands against 

 those of Waikato, whose ruin they had sworn. He aAvaited from day to day 

 the arrival of the other chiefs to advance towards the south. He was 

 delighted at hearing that I intended to anchor at Paroa [Bay of Islands] ; 

 his eyes filled with tears when I said I should see his father, Te Koki,* and 

 expressed his pleasure by all sorts of testimonies of friendship. 



As I judged the weather would permit me to get under way, I dissuaded 

 Rangui from returning with us, and took leave of him. Half-way back 

 I met the three canoes returning ashore. Already I was felicitating myself 

 on being disencumbered of our importunate guests during the time we. were 

 getting under way, when on my arrival I was altogether nonplussed to 

 find that six of them remained on board. Instantly I embarked them in 

 the whaleboat, and landed them on the nearest point. Nevertheless, this 

 caused a delay of two long hours, and it was noon exactly when we got 

 under way.f 



* [A great deal is to be learnt about this turbulent old chief in " The Life of Arch- 

 deacon Henry Williams."] 



t [ The expedition of which D'Urville saw the advance guard at Whangarei Heads, 

 Tinder the chiefs Te Rangi-tuke and Hori Kingi, about April or May, 1827, was defeated 

 near Tamaki Heads, Waitemata. by Ngati-Tipa. Ngati-Paoa, and some divisions of 

 Waikato, and nearly the whole of the Nga-Puhi were killed. They were led into an 

 ambush, and very few escaped back to the Bay of Islands to take the news. (See " Wars 

 of the Northern against the Southern Tribes in the Nineteenth Century," p. 191.) — 

 Translator.] 



