CHAP. XXIV.] OF THE INTERIOR. 363 



warm houses, and, with mirth and laughter, soon 

 helped the pakea (stranger) to put up his house. 



If Tongariri is the right way of spelling the name 

 of the volcano, instead of Tongariro, it is a very 

 appropriate name, as it means " angry south wind ;" 

 and I can easily imagine that violent gales, occa- 

 sioned by the inequality of the temperature, often 

 agitate the waters of this great lake, and that it is 

 not without good reason that the natives are so 

 careful in trusting themselves on it in their flat 

 canoes. 



The scenery of Taupo lake, the whole character 

 of the landscape, the freshness and peculiarity of 

 the vegetation, with the white smoke rising around 

 from so many hot-springs, are singularly beautiful, 

 and well calculated to attract visitors from all parts 

 of the world. The excellent disposition of the 

 natives will ensure every one a good reception who 

 does not come with the arrogant and ridiculous 

 prejudices which are too frequently characteristic of 

 a European traveller. 



On the 25th of May we took leave of our friends 

 at Te-rapa. There were so few men in the village, 

 that we could not get any new guides for Roturua, 

 but our former guide Titipa offered to conduct us 

 to Motutere, a well-populated pa on the east side 

 of Taupo lake. We accordingly took a canoe, and 

 passed the mouth of the Waikato, which is divided 

 into three arms, of which the largest is about 100 

 yards broad. Here we landed, and came to a pa. 



