138 MOUNT EGMONT. [PART I. 



But the rest of these islands are steep and conical 

 masses of a greyish trachite, containing much feld- 

 spar, with scarcely any vegetation on them beyond 

 the Phormium tenax, Mesembryanthemum australe, 

 Pteris esculenta, Peperomia d'Urvillei, Microcalia 

 australis, epacris, linum, &c. Numerous seaweeds 

 float at their base, amongst which were the Lamina- 

 ria flabelliformis, Sargassum carpilli folium, Margi- 

 naria urvilliana, &c. 



I found about twenty natives near Sugarloaf 

 Point ; the place seemed only a fishing station : 

 the remainder of the Taranaki tribes lived either on 

 concealed potato-plantations, or farther south near 

 Cape Egmont. On our arrival being known, they 

 assembled around Mr. Barret, and with tears wel- 

 comed their old friend. In a singing strain of la- 

 mentation they related their misfortunes and the 

 continual inroads of the Waikato. The scene was 

 truly affecting, and the more so when we recollect 

 that this small remnant had sacrificed everything to 

 the love of their native place. I perceived in the 

 evening how much they stood in dread of the Wai- 

 kato. A fire had been observed in the direction of 

 Kawia, and the fear that the Waikato were again 

 on their way to Taranaki kept them awake during 

 the greater part of the night. 



The principal village of the Taranaki natives for- 

 merly stood a little to the westward of Sugarloaf 

 Point. Besieged by the Waikato, who had come 

 in great numbers from Kawia, they effectually kept 



