CHAP. XXVII.] EXTENSIVE PROSPECT. 401 



of the natives, will one day be brought into use. 

 At all events, it is an excellent food for pigs, which 

 feed almost entirely upon it, and grow very fat. 



On the 16th we still continued our route through 

 the forest, and, from the quantity of creepers (Smi- 

 lax), walking became very difficult. Towards noon, 

 however, we emerged into open land. The forest 

 terminated so abruptly, that there could be no doubt 

 of its having been consumed by fire up to its pre- 

 sent limit. If any other proof were wanted, the 

 large and half-consumed stems of trees which lay 

 at its verge were quite sufficient to. convince the 

 most sceptical. A splendid and most extensive pro- 

 spect here burst upon our view : the range of hills 

 which we had passed sloped gradually towards the 

 east coast, spreading out into flat land near the sea- 

 shore. Before us was the Bay of Plenty : to judge 

 from its present appearance, it may well be said to 

 have been prophetically so called by Captain Cook. 

 To the northward the whole coast-line towards 

 Witianga, or Mercury Bay, presented itself, at which 

 place the coast-hills resumed bolder forms; the 

 Mercury Islands also were visible : to the eastward 

 was the island of Tuhua, or Mayor's Island, and 

 several smaller rocky islets. More to the south- 

 ward was Puhia-i-Wakati, or White Island, emit- 

 ting from time to time volumes of white smoke ; 

 and to the southward our eyes followed part of the 

 coast, which retained its smooth outlines. 



Before we arrived at the perfectly even land 

 VOL. i. 2 D 



