

CHAP, xii.] THE LAND'S END. 209 



Haupouri tribe had returned to their old country 

 with the permission of Pane-kareao, the chief at 

 Kaitaia, intending again to settle here. A Eu- 

 ropean was living with them, for whom they had 

 engaged to catch wild pigs, which have overrun 

 the northern extremity of the island, where they 

 feed upon fern-root and sea-weeds. A great quan- 

 tity of fish is taken in the habour, especially skates, 

 herrings, mackerel, and snappers ; and the natives 

 were preserving them in great quantities by simply 

 drying them in the sun. 



The whole extremity of the island, from Parenga- 

 renga to the northward, is called by the natives 

 Muri-wenua (the land's end), and from my descrip- 

 tion it will be seen that there is not much to entice 

 European settlers. There is, however, land fit for 

 some small farms, with excellent soil, sufficient wood, 

 and great facilities of water-carriage. But it is to 

 be expected that the remainder of the original tribe 

 will return to their native place, and at the same 

 time it is probable that some one of the private pur- 

 chasers will occupy his land, and give the natives a 

 stimulus for improving their condition. A consi- 

 derable number of sheep would find easy sustenance 

 on the hills, more so indeed than in most other 

 parts of New Zealand, as the herbage here is low, 

 and therefore better adapted for sheep than a high 

 and vigorous one. 



VOL. I. 



