CHAP. VII.] TEMPERATURE. 163 



sand-hills of the coast, which were often so much 

 heated that I could not bear to walk upon them. 

 But we were never a week without rain, and some- 

 times had a thunder-storm, after which a delightful 

 coolness pervaded the atmosphere. The rivulets 

 always retained their quantity of water ; the humid- 

 ity in the forest rarely ceased; and the mosses and 

 ferns continued as fresh as ever. Fishing was at- 

 tended with great success, and I often had occasion 

 to admire the expertness of the women in diving for 

 crawfish in the surf near the Sugarloaf Islands. 

 The New Zealanders, men, women, and children, 

 swim well, and can continue the exertion for a long 

 time ; in common with the North American In- 

 dians, they swim like dogs, not dividing the water, as 

 we do, with the palm of the hands, but paddling 

 along with each arm alternately. Bathing was one 

 of our favourite amusements, as there was a beau- 

 tiful pond of fresh water immediately behind our 

 hut, and great was the mirth and good fellowship 

 at our daily bathing-parties. 



In the beginning of January two messengers of the 

 Nga-te-awa tribe, who had been enslaved by the Wai- 

 kato, arrived from Kawia : they brought intelligence 

 that the Nga-te-raukaua had sent to the Waikato to 

 request their aid in an exterminating warfare against 

 the Nga-te-awa tribe in Waikanahi, in revenge for 

 their losses there. They also told us that the Wai- 

 kato were prepared to make an immediate descent on 

 us, in order to prevent the natives of Taranaki from 



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