'350 MR. BIDWILI/S ASCENT [PART II. 



what they called it, as it is very likely that they 

 knew it to be a branch of the river called the Waipa 

 when it flows farther to the north. I found out 

 that the road we had travelled was one which for- 

 merly led to some part of the Waikato country, but 

 now disused, and that it was the only place where 

 the base of the cone could be seen ; that nobody 

 had ever approached nearer than we now were ; 

 and that the reason was, they were afraid. They 

 said that formerly when they passed this point of 

 the road they used to cover their heads with their 

 mats, because it was e tapu' to look at the mountain, 

 or at least the peak. The night was exceedingly 

 cold, but I did not feel it so much as I did on the 

 Waikato. I found here a most curious little plant 

 of the yew family (Dacrydium) ; it was not larger 

 than a clump of moss, and was mistaken for a moss 

 by me when I first saw it. I found here also the 

 curious Forstera sedifolia, and many new composite 

 plants and Veronicas. 



" March 3rd. When I arose in the morning I 

 was astonished to see the mountains around covered 

 with snow, except the cone, which was visible from 

 its base to the apex, and appeared quite close. The 

 natives said the mountain had been making a noise 

 in the night, which, at the time, I thought was 

 only fancy : there seemed to be a little steam rising 

 from the top 3 but the quantity was not sufficient to 

 obscure the view. I set off immediately after break- 

 fast, with only two natives, as all the others were 



