392 NEW ZEALAND. 



our way through the dark, into the Bay of Islands, anchored at 

 10 p. m. in the Kawa-Kawa river, opposite the residence of Mr. 

 Clendon, the American consul. Here I had the satisfaction to find 

 the Porpoise and Flying-Fish, and receive the reports of their cruises, 

 which will be found in Appendix XXX. : they were all well on board. 

 The former vessel had arrived a few days, and the latter about three 

 weeks, before us. We were also gratified with the receipt of letters 

 from the United States. Every exertion was made to shorten the 

 duration of our stay in New Zealand, and the necessary instruments 

 were landed without delay. 



Here also we met all the scientific gentlemen, — who, as has been 

 stated, had been left at Sydney when the squadron sailed upon the 

 Antarctic cruise, — anxiously awaiting our arrival. 



They had been forced to remain inactive at Sydney, in conse- 

 quence of a change in the destination of the vessel in which they 

 had first taken their passages, and, by this vexatious delay, had not 

 only been prevented from pursuing further researches in New South 

 Wales, but had lost time that might have been advantageously 

 employed in New Zealand. They finally succeeded in finding an 

 opportunity of reaching the Bay of Islands, in the British brig 

 Victoria. 



After leaving Sydney in this vessel, a sea was shipped, which, 

 besides doing other mischief, entered at the cabin-windows, and filled 

 the chronometer-box with salt water; in consequence of which the 

 master considered it necessary to put back, in order to exchange the 

 injured time-piece for another. She accordingly anchored again in 

 Port Jackson. 



On the 7th February, they had a beautiful exhibition of the aurora 

 australis : the coruscations were of a straw-coloured light, reaching- 

 nearly to the zenith in the southern sky, and lasting from seven until 

 ten o'clock. A noddy alighted on the brig, and remained on board 

 many days ; so tame was it that it even suffered itself to be handled. 



On the 16th, when they had performed about half the passage, 

 they had another exhibition of the aurora, much like the former; 

 after which they experienced a gale of wind of five days' duration. 

 On the 21st, they were enabled again to make sail, and, on the 23d, 

 they made the North Cape. A gale then came on from the eastward, 

 and they had a narrow escape from shipwreck while running down 

 the land. On the 24th, they dropped anchor at Kororarika, about 

 three miles above which place they found the United States Consul, 

 Mr. Clendon, at Ornotu Point. 



