CHAP. VII.] 131 



CHAPTER VII. 



Taranaki, or Mount Egmont. 



ON the 22nd of November we obtained the long- 

 wished-for view of Mount Egmont, and also of the 

 Ruapahu, both of which were to a great extent co- 

 vered with snow. But they were soon again hid 

 from our view ; and it was only on the 27th of No- 

 vember, after having experienced much bad weather 

 and several severe gales, that we anchored to the 

 northward of the Sugarloaf Islands, about two miles 

 from the shore. Soon after we had cast anchor a 

 waterspout rose not far from us. The weather had 

 now begun to clear up ; and I scrutinized the sides 

 and lofty summit of Mount Egmont, which, once 

 thrown up by the mysterious fires of the deep, was 

 now apparently in a state of repose, to discover whe- 

 ther there was any possibility of ascending it, an 

 indertaking which had never yet been achieved. 



We had brought from Port Nicholson one of the 

 >rincipal chiefs, Tuarau, who was delighted to see 

 ,he land of his birth and to assist the Company's 

 agent in the purchase of it. Our boat, which was 

 sent ashore, was unable to land on account of the 

 surf, but brought back two natives who had plunged 

 into the foaming sea and swum to it. The meeting 



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