274 RIVER THAMES. [PART II. 



at the entrance into the river Thames, at different 

 parts of the Gulf of Hauraki, and at Mercury Bay. 

 They have greatly diminished in number in conse- 

 quence of their late wars, especially those which 

 they waged with the Nga-pui in the Bay of 

 Islands. They formerly stood in hostile relation 

 with the Nga-te-hauwa, who live at Matamata, in 

 the valley of the Thames, but a short time ago they 

 made a solemn peace with them. 



From Coromandel Harbour to the entrance of 

 the river Thames the coast is rocky, and there is no 

 communication between Coromandel Harbour and 

 the valley of the Thames by land. The hills are 

 mostly basaltic or amygdaloid, and many fine red 

 and white carnelians are found hereabouts. 



Not far from the entrance into the Thames is a 

 station of the Church Missionary Society, occupy- 

 ing a most picturesque position on the slope of the 

 eastern mountains, which are crowned by a forest of 

 lofty trees. An arm of the sea, which is joined by 

 a creek, the Wawakaurunga, bathes the foot of the 

 hills, where the buildings are placed ; a fertile allu- 

 vial flat spreads along its left shore, on which stands 

 a large native fortification, Kaneranga, often con- 

 taining nearly 2000 inhabitants. 



There is no harbour, properly speaking, in the 

 Waiho, or Frith of the Thames, and large vessels 

 cannot approach, as a mudbank stretches out be- 

 tween the Thames and the Piako, which have their 

 embouchure close to each other : there is, however, 



