CHAP. XIV.J PU-TE-KAKA RIVER. 227 



spreading out into mud flats at low water, with a 

 channel sufficiently deep for large b6ats, near the 

 northern shore, up to its head, which is here en- 

 tered by a river that takes its rise in the hills 

 separating the harbour of Wangaroa from Mango- 

 nui. An arm of the latter stretches towards Oruru, 

 and unites with this river behind an island of mo- 

 derate size which forms the head of the harbour. 

 This island conceals mangrove-flats, which lie on 

 both sides of the channel. 



The river Pu-te-kaka is entered by the tide for 

 about eight miles, and thus far a boat can go up it. 

 It flows through an undulating open country, the 

 elevations alternating with large swamps, which 

 might be easily drained, and would then form good 

 agricultural land. Higher up, the view is shut in 

 by the hills towards Wangaroa, which are about 

 fifteen miles distant, and are covered with kauri- 

 forest, as are also the hills to the west and north. 

 The land up to the base of those hills is devoid of 

 trees. At this point the Pu-te-kaka is only a small 

 creek, but several times during the year it swells 

 sufficiently to float large logs of kauri into the 

 harbour. A melancholy scene of waste and de- 

 struction presented itself to me when I went up to 

 see this forest. Several square miles of it were 

 burning, having been fired in order to make room 

 for the conveyance of logs down to the creek. 

 Noble trees, which had required ages for their per- 

 fection, were thus recklessly destroyed in great 



Q 2 



