247 
four or five-storied houses, smiles upon every street; — I say, on 
hearing somebody in Auckland speak of longing after country-life, 
we could hardly refrain from smiling at such an idea. 
For some time past wo had intended to go to the northern coast 
of the Waitemata Harbour, to the so-called “North Shore,” for the 
purpose of paying a visit to the volcanic cones there, and to a re- 
markable lake lying in an ancient crater, of which we had heard 
so much. A friend of ours , however, wishing to accompany us, re- 
quested us to postpone our excursion for a short time. Knowing him 
to be an excellent guide and pleasant companion, we readily agreed 
to wait a few days longer, for the benefit of having him with us. 
We were, however, not a little surprised, when he informed us, 
that his wife and children were also to be of the party in order 
to enjoy the pleasures of country-life; and that he would, there- 
fore, take two tents with him for the purpose of camping out and 
having the full benefit of a short stay in the country. It naturally 
made a somewhat ludicrous impression on us, to hear our worthy 
friend thus speak about the country, and the more so, since we 
had repeatedly admired his idyllic dwelling as the very ideal of a 
country-seat. 
Let the reader fancy to himself, at one of the many small 
bays of the W aitemata , situated < >n a sheltered slope , a cottage-like 
house snugly nestled in the luxuriant shrubbery of its surrounding 
garden. The house is covered with passion-flowers, honey-suckle, 
and other beautiful creeping plants; the veranda in front of the 
house decked with fuchsias, whose charming bell-shaped blossoms 
have clothed roof and walls as with a purple robe; round about a 
large garden, its farthest end kissed by the rippling wave of the 
calm, blue sea. Boats and sails of every kind enliven the watery 
surface, which forms a part of the variously indented Waitemata 
Harbour. Beyond the harbour the North-coast with its volcanic 
cones is seen; above it the regular cone of the Bangitoto with its 
taper-points is looming high up to the azure sky, — in short a scene 
so charming , so pretty and picturesque , that we could never tire 
of admiring it. The house with this prospect is the very same 
