426 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



Oira Bay. — This is a very picturesque bay, having a good sandy beach, 

 but owing to its being so open, it is difficult to land upon, except in very 

 fine weather, there generally being a sea running. At the head of the bay 

 is a small bush of fine old pohutukawas, and scattered along the beach are 

 a number of kauri logs, which have been washed up by the sea ; they come 

 from the sawmills at Tairua and Mercury Bay, and are much prized by the 

 natives. The land around this bay is pretty level for Mayor Island, and 

 also very good soil. It has all been under cultivation. In a little glen there 

 are some fine flax bushes (Phormium tenax) planted by the natives, and which 

 they still use for fishing lines, &c. At the southern end of the bay, on a 

 rugged rocky point, is the picturesque pa of Te Euamata. It is a very 

 strong position. The ditch which cuts it off from the main island is very 

 deep, and must have been hard work for the natives to excavate with their 

 primitive spades of obsidian. This point is highly " tapu." Off it and south 

 to Whatipu for about half a mile out to sea, the ground is very foul, being 

 covered with sunken rocks, which are only awash at high water, being very 

 dangerous for boats. At Whatipu Poiat is one of the beautiful arches 

 which go so far towards making the coast scenery so picturesque. This 

 arch is very well defined and about 40 feet high by 20 feet wide. One can 

 take a boat through in calm weather, when the effect of its rugged architec- 

 ture is very grand. Bound this point we come to 



Otiora Bay. — This is the only bay (except Opo, the landing place) 

 with any shelter for boats, and it is not a good one, being open to the 

 south and south-west, and even in a north-west wind a nasty sea rolls 

 into it. At the head of the bay there is a nice sandy beach on which 

 you land, and very pretty wooded glens run inland from it, a few 

 chains up one of which there is a small spring ; at the head also 

 of these glens are some very fine "corkwood" trees about one foot 

 through, the largest I have seen; this wood is called "corkwood" 

 by bushmen from its being, like cork, very buoyant in water. On the 

 east and west sides of the bay the cliffs are very steep, about 200 feet 

 high. On the west side and running down to Te Whatipu Point, was 

 situated the second important settlement of the island (Te Panui, the present 

 one, being the principal). This land has all been cultivated, and the ruins of 

 old whares are still to be found ; and such cultivation shows that at one time 

 it must have had a large population. Between here and Te Panui ruins of 

 old houses are to be found in every favourable spot, though in most cases the 

 inhabitants had a long way to go for water, there only being the two small 

 springs — one at Otiora Bay and the other near Te Panui — a distance of a 

 mile and a half. A good track runs from Otiora Bay to the present settle- 

 ment on Opo Bay. 



