Temperance of the Ahorigiues. 147 



sions in the environs of Auckland, three of which deserve 

 special mention. 



The first was to the picturesque Judges and Oraki Bays, 

 the latter formed by the ruins of a crater. Here for the 

 first time we beheld what is called the New Zealand 

 Christmas tree, 3Ietrosideros Tormentosa^ which at the festive 

 season comes forth pranked in all its gay blossoms, and is 

 extensively used in decorating churches and dwelling-houses. 

 Its large deep-red, umbellate blossoms are visible from 

 afar gleaming among the green vegetation along the coast. 

 The natives call this tree the Pohutu-Kawua ; it is most 

 extensively found on the slopes along the coast. The wild 

 pepper, Kawa-kawa [Piper excelsum), is very common in 

 the country round Auckland, but is not brewed into an 

 intoxicating drink like the Piper methysticum of the Southern 

 Ocean. The natives indeed are exceedingly temperate, 

 and, unlike other half-civilized races, are very little addicted 

 to drink; this however may be partly due to the wise 

 precautions of the Government, which under a heavy pecu- 

 niary penalty forbids all tavern-keepers throughout the 

 province from selling the Maori any drink except beer. 

 Two species of grass eminently characteristic of the country, 

 which often overrun vast tracts of land, and are used by 

 the natives for thatching their huts, are the Toi-toi {Le- 

 pidos'perma elatior) and the Kekaho [Arundo Australis). There 

 are also the Puka-puka, or paper-seed {Br achy glottis re- 



La 



