394 NEW ZEALAND. 



Some of our naturalists made a visit to a town called Wangarara, 

 situated near the coast, about thirty miles to the southward of Cape 

 Brett. They passed up the Waicaddie river eleven miles to Waicaddie 

 Pa. Here they found a missionary station occupied by a Mr. Baker ; 

 but none of the family were at home. The old chief of Waicaddie 

 was very indignant, and treated them quite uncivilly, because they 

 were going to Wangarara. After procuring a guide, they set out on 

 foot for that place. The distance is twelve miles, which they accom- 

 plished by sunset. The road lay over mountains. The village of 

 Wangarara consists of four or five miserable huts, or what would 

 more properly be designated kennels, made in the rudest manner, and 

 thatched with fern-leaves. In order to enter these, they were obliged 

 to crawl on their hands and knees. The furniture of the chiefs house 

 consisted of a few mats, two or three fishing nets, and an old chest. 

 A fire was smoking in the centre to keep out the musquitoes, and the 

 resemblance to a smoke-house was striking ; or, perhaps, the latter 

 would have suffered by the comparison. The accommodations in this 

 hut were rather confined and crowded ; for besides themselves, there 

 were three runaway sailors as guests. They, therefore, gladly ac- 

 cepted the invitation of the chief Ko-towatowa, who was on a visit 

 here, to accompany him to his hut, at the mouth of the bay. They 

 went with him in his fine large canoe, and reached his residence late 

 in the evening, where they found themselves much more comfortably 

 accommodated, having clean mats and a good supper of pigeons and 

 potatoes. This was Ko-towatowa's principal farm. His pa is situated 

 a few miles up the bay, on a rocky point, and contains one hundred 

 and fifty houses. It was, at the time of their visit, nearly deserted, in 

 consequence of the attention demanded by their crops ; and this is the 

 case with nearly all the other pas at this season. 



This part of the country is flat, and has a good soil ; and here Ko- 

 towatowa raises most of his potatoes and kumaras, which are larger 

 and better than those raised at the Bay of Islands. They also raise 

 a good supply of Indian corn, and are at no loss for food, which was 

 evident from the quantities of dried as well as fresh fish which was 

 seen. 



A great difference was perceived between the natives of this place 

 and those of the Bay of Islands. The former have had little or no 

 communication with foreigners, their manners are more simple, and 

 they have little or no idea of the conventional value of money. The 

 people of this place appeared more virtuous and happy, and a number 

 of young women were seen, good-looking, sprightly, and full of 

 animation. 



