CHAP. II.] WHALES AND WHALERS. 35 



most of the good harbours of New Zealand, I still 

 adhere to my first impression, that the Sound is the 

 most commodious and extensive, the most easy of 

 access and navigation, especially from the regularity 

 of the tides, and the most sheltered, of any in New 

 Zealand. Besides Ship Cove, East Bay and West 

 Bay, and the proper termination of the Sound, form 

 inlets several miles long ; in fact, the whole Sound 

 is perfectly landlocked, and has deep water close in- 

 shore. As a harbour it well deserves the enthusi- 

 astic praise which Captain Cook bestowed upon it. 



At four o'clock in the afternoon we entered that 

 part of the channel which Captain Chaffers after- 

 wards surveyed, and named Tory Channel. A 

 pyramid ical hill of some height, and without wood 

 at the top, marks the entrance into this narrow 

 part, which is here about a mile broad. Every- 

 where the shore showed the clay-slate formation. 

 A small rocky island, called Moioio, soon became 

 visible, on the beach of which several canoes were 

 drawn up. On its summit were formed pa's, or vil- 

 lages, and all the inhabitants looked down on us 

 as we passed close by. Several canoes with natives 

 were out fishing. They had various kinds of fish, 

 especially fine mullets and gurnets, which they of- 

 fered for sale, but we did not admit the men on 

 board. The number of natives on this island, I was 

 told, was about 150. Several recognised Nayti, 

 who belongs to the same tribe. Their character 

 was pronounced by the whalers who accompanied 



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