Gorp-Surrg.— Description of Mayor Island. 423 
dreaded foe the Ngapuhi, who, being the first Maoris to possess guns, 
thought, like Alexander the Great, to conquer the world, could not take 
it, at which I am not surprised, for with no enemy to pay me delicate atten- 
tion, it was all I could do to cut my way a little distance up one of the 
slopes, the travelling being very difficult, owing to having to climb over the 
large scoria blocks, and force one’s way through the dense vegetation. All 
the walking round the seaward side of the crater, which is a mere wall of 
voleanie débris with precipitous sides, is very dangerous, footing being very 
difficult to obtain and keep. 
Another very strong pa is situated above the lip of the crater, named 
Taumou. It is on a crag 500 feet high. This is the strongest pa on the 
` island, in fact their citadel, and has never been taken. The Ngapuhi, 
owing to the advantage they had in the possession of guns, were able to 
drive the natives of the island from pa to pa, until they retired to Taumou 
and Tarewakoura (before mentioned). Here the Urungawera made their 
final stand, and defied every effort of the Ngapuhi to dislodge them ; and 
finally with the help of obsidian drove them off with heavy loss. 
The pa as before stated is situated on a crag on the side of the crater, with 
precipitous slopes on three sides, and with only a very narrow steep ap- 
proach to it up a ridge of obsidian which the pacommands. There are large 
quantities of obsidian about the pa, in blocks of from a few pounds weight 
up to many tons. „This the Urungawera used with great effect against 
the Ngapuhi, hurling the blocks of obsidian down on their heads as they 
rushed to the attack, which it is no wonder failed, for the heavy blocks of 
obsidian with their sharp edges must have caused great havoc in their ranks. 
Another of the few springs in the island issues at this pa in a place 
where one would not expect to find it. It is situated at the root of a small 
pohutukawa which grows out of the steep cliff, about two hundred feet 
above the sea, on the seaward side of the pa. 
Leaving the crater with all its wonders, and passing Okawa, which is 
a rugged, low-lying rocky point, on which the sea breaks heavily, we come 
to an open bay with steep cliffs of basalt and pumice, and a reef of obsidian. 
In this bay is Motuoneone, a small island or rock, which is the home of the 
tuatara lizard. This island is about 100 feet off shore. The lizards, like 
the inhabitants of Tuhua, appear to have expected an attack from the sea, 
for the sides of the rock are quite perpendicular for a height of 80 feet, and 
it is therefore impossible to get at them without the aid of ropes and ladders. 
I therefore could not get any. They are the same species as those on the 
Karewa Island. I brought twenty of these lizards home with me on my 
return from surveying that island, many of which I turned out in my 
garden, and have thus had many opportunities of observing their habits, 
