CHAP. XXL] 289 



CHAPTER XXI. 



Harbour of Manukao, or Symonds Harbour. 



I WILL DOW proceed in my description of the island, 

 by relating the particulars of an expedition which 

 I undertook from Waitemata into the centre of 

 the island, to the volcanic group of Tongariro and 

 Lake Taupo, thence to the eastern coast and along 

 the valley of the Thames, back into the Gulf of 

 Hauraki. In company with Lieutenant Best, of 

 the 80th Foot, I started on the 3 1st of March, 

 1841. At the moment of my departure I had the 

 disappointment of finding that all the natives whom 

 I had engaged to accompany me, and whom I had 

 brought with me from the northward, had ab- 

 sconded, enticed by promises of high wages in 

 Auckland. I advise any one who intends to travel 

 in New Zealand to avoid the towns, if he wishes 

 to find natives, of whom a great number are re- 

 quired to carry provisions and baggage. In this 

 case I was obliged to start without any of these 

 men, the baggage being placed on a packhorse with 

 which his Excellency the Governor had kindly fur- 

 nished me; and we trusted to accident to find 

 VOL. i. u 



