20 
tracts of primeval forest. My travels happening to fall in the New 
Zealand autumn , after the gathering of the wheat and potatoe-crops, 
we experienced no want of provisions. We were always sure of 
being received with the heartiest welcome at the missionary stations 
scattered through the interior of the country; nor would the Maori 
chiefs be behind hand in receiving the Te Rata Hokiteta, as they 
called me in their native tongue , and my companions within their 
pahs with all due honour, and entertaining us with unfeigned hos- 
pitality. My Maoris behaved admirably; they were always ready 
and willing, and “merry as skylarks;” and, being moreover most 
zealously supported by my friends Haast, Hay, Koch and Hamel, 
the results were in every respect such as to gratify my most san- 
guine expectations. 1 had a considerable store of geographical , geo- 
logical, botanical and zoological materials on hand; and for eth- 
nographical studies, also, 1 had found ample opportunities. 
However, the chief object 1 had always in view was the geology 
and geograph)' of the country. In order to make geological sur- 
veys, I was obliged to work at the same time topographically; for 
the few existing maps of the interior were merely outlines traced 
on the evidence of the reports of missionaries and tourists. The 
sketch of a map I had brought with me from Auckland , presented 
nothing but standard-points for the coast; and at a distance of a 
few miles from Auckland it was but little better than a blank sheet 
of paper. From the very commencement of my travels, therefore, 
I had adopted by means of the Azimuth-compass, a system of trian- 
gulation which I based upon Captain Drury’s nautical coast-survey, 
and carried through from the West-coast to the East-coast. The 
natives, who from an innate distrust of Government land-specu- 
lations were always certain to raise objections on seeing English 
engineers of the provincial corps upon ground not purchased by 
Government, with instruments for measuring and surveying, allowed 
me to proceed unmolested. They knew I was a stranger, and 
only on a short stay in the country; so they aided me in every 
way, that I might be able to give a fine and glorious account 
of their country on my return to my home. It was the chiefs 
* 
c 
ui 
m 
r 
V- 
o 
c. 
2 
pi 
