CHAP. IX.] NEW ZEALAND. 179 



with which the interior of the northern island 

 abounds, have always an outlet ; and it is only in a 

 very few places that swamps exist, and these are 

 owing to the clayey nature of the subsoil, but they 

 are not sufficiently important to influence the gene- 

 ral state of the humidity of the air, or to become 

 insalubrious. In the neighbourhood of Port Nichol- 

 son the rain quickly percolates through the light 

 upper soil, and feeds the numerous streamlets, which 

 rapidly carry it off into the sea. 



The temperature which, 'from its latitude, we 

 should expect New Zealand to possess, is extensively 

 modified by all the circumstances I have mentioned. 

 The first of these is the narrow shape of both 

 islands, which gives a very extensive coast-line, 

 into the numberless harbours and inlets of which 

 the sea enters ; and as it preserves a certain mean 

 and moderate temperature throughout the year, it 

 modifies the climate of land which is surrounded by 

 it, and uniformity of temperature is in consequence 

 characteristic of the climate of New Zealand. It is 

 most humid, as well as most equable, on the coasts, 

 where also vegetation is fresher than in any other 

 portion of the islands ; there is no great heat in sum- 

 mer, no severe cold in winter ; sometimes, indeed, 

 in the winter nights the thermometer sinks to the 

 freezing-point, and the stagnant waters in the in- 

 terior are covered with a thin crust of ice ; but 

 during the day it is very rare that the temperature 

 is below 40. In a moderately convenient house 



N2 



