22 Voyage of Capt. Sir James C. Ross to the Antarctic. 



lish mission under Rev. Mr. Williams. The location was on a 

 low beach very near a place called by the natives "Haumi," 

 marked by a small cluster of trees, " where the bodies of the 



French navigator Marion and his companions were devoured by 



the savages." The French provoked this aggression by forcibly 

 persisting to fish on ground which they were not aware was ta- 

 booed by the natives. 



New Zealand having become an English colony, the natives 



are now only sojourners in their own country. We may refer to 

 the narratives of Captains Fitzroy and Wilkes, and other published 

 works, for a full description of the country and for a history of 

 the English aggressions there. The missionaries have, in the 

 mean time, persevered in their work of benevolence, and through 

 all vicissitudes have maintained their sway over the native mind. 

 To these topics we cannot do justice in so brief a summary, and 

 shall therefore confine ourselves to a few notices on other subjects. 



The mean temperature from August 19, to Sept. 17, was 53° -9, 

 and the average 66° to 39°. In England, the mean temperature 

 of March, the corresponding month, is 43-9, and the average 

 range from 66° to 24°. The first month of spring in New Zea- 

 land has a temperature ten degrees higher than the corresponding 

 month in England. 



The mean temperature of the dew point was found to be 

 49°"6. The quantity of rain was 1176 inches, and the greatest 

 fall 55, which took place on September 9. 



The mean height of the barometer is 30-034, and its range 



1-14 inch. Diurnal variations of the barometer from 9 a. m, to 

 10 p. m., when it is greatest ; also from 4 a. m. to 3 p. m., when it 

 is least : difference -041 inch. Mean temperature of the surface 

 of the sea 56°. 



For the next month, September 18 to October 18, the mean 

 temperature was 57° '9, an increase of four degrees, while that of 

 England increases 6°. Mean temperature of the dew point 53°. 

 Greatest fall of rain October 17, was 284 in. Mean height of 



the barometer 30*118; range -738 in. Greatest pressure, 9 a. m. 

 and 10 p. m. ; the least at 4 a. m. and 4 p. m. ; difference 044. 

 From October 19 to November 17, the mean temperature ad- 



vanced 2A°, to 60° -5 ; range 74° to 47°. In England the mean 



temperature for May, the corresponding month, is 54° — range 70° 

 to 33°. Mean temperature of the dew point 52°. Quantity of rain 

 in New Zealand 9*5 in. ; greatest fall, November 8, 2-1 in. In Eng- 

 land, rain in May, 1*85 in. Barometer at the mean, 29-904, and 

 wind N. ; range of the barometer 1*80. Mean temperature for 

 the year in England 49°'2, differing little from that of the three 

 months of spring. Mean temperature in New Zealand very nearly 

 59°. According to Dieifenbach, the rain in the North Island is 

 34-49 in. Mean temperature of the whole year at Wellington 



