CHAP. XXIV.] LAKE TAUPO. 335 



By a work of this nature a complete water-commu- 

 nication would be opened throughout the island by 

 means of the Taupo Lake and the Wanganui and 

 Manawatu rivers, which take their rise in the same 

 mountain as the Waikato, and are navigated by the 

 natives nearly from their source down to their 

 embouchure in Cook's Straits. 



Lake Taupo appears to be 1337 feet above the 

 level of the sea, if we may trust a measurement with 

 Newman's thermometer, which gave the thermal 

 point at 209*5, at a temperature of 65 Fahrenheit. 



The natives are afraid of trusting themselves on 

 the lake whenever there is the slightest indication 

 of bad weather. It being a large basin, and on most 

 sides surrounded by cliffs, which are divided by 

 gulleys, the waves are frequently very high, and 

 prove dangerous to the canoes, which have here no 

 gunwhales, and are called tiwai. For two days 

 the natives dissuaded us from venturing upon it, 

 although my companions were very impatient, and 

 pressed them hard. " You do not know this lake," 

 they said ; " it is worse than the sea." 



Knowing well from experience in Switzerland the 

 nature of inland lakes, I readily yielded to this 

 advice, being aware, moreover, of the futility of 

 pressing the natives in such matters. I have always 

 indeed made a point in New Zealand of keeping my 

 patience and composure in all discussions with the 

 natives, and have in consequence fared well. I re- 

 commend the same system to all those who have 



