clacl giant-head of the Ruapahu could be distinctly seen looming 
up above the hills and mountain-terraces in the South. I beheld 
the mountain for the first time. In viewing it from the mission- 
ary’s house, it lies to the South 7° 55' East, at a distance 
of 80 miles. Its top appeared like a broad, snow-covered roof, 
and is said to be never clear of snow. Mr. Read, however, as- 
sured me, that during the week past there had been several bare 
patches of rock visible, and that the mountain had now, towards 
the end of summer , already donned a fresh robe of snow. 
As I intended, before continuing my journey from the Waipa 
farther South, to visit also the harbours on the West Coast, and 
first of all, the Whaingaroa Harbour , I had the pleasure, in com- 
pany of the Superintendent, of again travelling down the Waipa 
as far as Whatawhata, from which point the shortest and easiest 
road lead across the coast-range to Whaingaroa. We did not 
reach Whatawhata before night, and set out next morning, March 19. 
on our road to Whaingaroa. There I met with a little accident, 
as we were just on the point of starting, but fortunately without 
any serious consequences. As I was about to go through the plain 
overgrown with ferns to the margin of the river-bank I fell un- 
awares into a pit above 6 feet deep , one of those dug by the 
natives close to their settlements, for the purpose of storing away 
potatoes. My left knee pained me considerably in consequence 
of the fall, and limping as 1 was, I could proceed but slowly. 
The Superintendent , therefore , who was obliged to arrive at Whain- 
garoa at a stated time, was soon ahead of me with his party, while 
I followed slowly. 
The road, one of the best and most frequented New Zealand 
paths, leads across open fern -land, hill up and hill down to the 
foot of a steeply ascending range, the southern continuation of the 
Taupiri and Hakarimata range, and forming the boundary., between 
the Waipa country and the West Coast. At noon we camped at the 
edge of the woods by a clear mountain-stream Toketoke. The 
passage across the mountains lay for the most part through bush, 
which was pregnant with the balmy fragrance of an orcliidee grow- 
