66 WHALES AND WHALERS. [PART I. 



ward were the steep shores in the neighbourhood of 

 Mana and Port Nicholson, which latter place is 

 about thirty miles distant from the southern entrance 

 of Tory Channel. At eight o'clock we sailed by 

 the part of the shore of the northern island which 

 is called Te-ra-witi (the rising sun). We beat up 

 against the breeze, and entered the harbour of Port 

 Nicholson. There is plenty of ship-room at the 

 entrance, and the dangers which exist are all appa- 

 rent. The soundings are between seventeen and 

 eight and a half fathoms. Alter passing the inner 

 heads a spacious basin appears. Several canoes came 

 off, and in one of them was an old venerable-looking 

 chief, Epuni, with his son. At three o'clock we 

 anchored on the northern side of a large island 

 called Matin, now Somes's Island, about a mile 

 from the mainland. 



