CHAP. XXII.] VALLEY OF THE WAIPA. 313 



east, and was bounded to the east by distant hills. 

 To the south-west the eye reached to the hilly 

 chain of Rangitoto, near Mokau, on the western 

 coast, which bore S. 20 W. In the valley of the 

 Waipa rose an isolated conical hill, Maunga-Kaua, 

 whilst here and there a small part of the Waipa 

 river itself was visible. I had a good view of the 

 country inland of Waingaroa and Aotea Harbours ; 

 and I observed that everywhere the coast-hills 

 descended gradually towards the interior, and that 

 all these hills were covered with forest. Only some 

 small spots of the valley of the Waipa were wooded. 

 On these we observed burnt and bleak stems of old 

 trees, the only sign we could perceive of the intru- 

 sion of man upon the dominion of Nature, The 

 undisturbed silence in which the whole was wrapped 

 imparted an agreeable repose to the landscape. Pi- 

 rongia, as the hill on which we stood is called, 

 seems to be the highest point of the coast-chain : it 

 rises to the height of 2428 feet, measured themo- 

 metrically, the point of boiling-water being 207 5*, 

 the temperature of the air 51, and the mean between 

 that of the sea-shore being taken as 55 Fahrenheit. 

 We descended into the valley of the Waipa, fol- 

 lowing the course of one of its tributaries, which 

 rolled rapidly * over a bed of rounded and smooth 

 boulders. At the foot of the hill we halted at a 

 small settlement of natives. The news of our ap- 

 proach having preceded us, they placed before us, at 



