180 
CRUISE OF H.MS. CHALLENGER. 
of New Zealand, the residence of the Governor (Sir 
James Ferguson), and seat of the Legislative Assembly, 
is hut a small straggling city containing between 8000 
and 9000 inhabitants. It is built almost exclusively 
of wood, the use of which has been found necessary, 
from the frequency of earthquakes. The position it 
occupies — lying high up in a bay — gives it a some- 
what pretty appearance, surrounded as it is by 
mountainous land. To us, just coming from Sydney 
with all its gaieties, Wellington seemed a poor, dull 
place, especially at this season of the year. Possibly 
it brightens up a little when the Legislative Assembly 
is sitting. Auckland was the capital from 1840 to 
the date when this was chosen, which was not on 
account of its commercial prosperity, but because it 
was more centrally situated for political purposes. 
Had the weather been fine during our stay, there 
were several interesting spots round Wellington that 
might have been visited ; for within two or three 
miles are the remains of an old forest ; while up the 
valley of the Hutt is still a Maori village, to which 
a line of railway runs ; and the Horokiwi valley, a 
beautiful glen 40 miles out of town, is well worth 
seeing. Near at hand are the Botanical Gardens, 
neatly laid out, and possessing great advantages in 
the position of the land and the shajoes of the sur- 
rounding hills. 
Perhaps no two countries in the world, within 
such a short distance of each other, are so wholly dis- 
