westerly direction along the shores of the harbour, which presents the 
character of a shallow estuary with many inlets and studded with 
numerous islands, separated from the sea only by a row of sand- 
hills, and extends, at an average breadth of two to three miles, 
in a N. W. direction , as far as the Katikati river , a distance of 
15 miles. After a short hour’s walk we reached the Otumoetai Pah 
(others spell it Otumoiti), one of the principal settlements on Tau- 
ranga Harbour, at the same time the seat of a Roman Catholic 
mission. The church of the place is of a very neat construction; 
there are also some Europeans settled here. On the beach lay a 
number of beautiful war-canoes; and next to them a schooner, be- 
longing to the Maoris, which they had bought for £500, leaving 
it afterwards to rot and decay. From Otumoetai we came over 
excellent, fertile alluvial plains to the Wairoa Bay. The Bay is 
very shallow, and the sandy rather than muddy ground so firm, 
that, although the tide had already half set in, we coidd without 
danger wade through to Peterehema (Bethlehem). From here we 
had to be ferried by means of canoes across a second, deeper branch, 
whereupon we found ourselves upon an abominable mud-bank, over 
which we were obliged to wade, the tide continually rising, for a 
whole mile sinking in more than knee-deep, until wo came once 
more upon terra firma at a projecting sandy point. At 3 '/a p. m. 
we reached the village Potutcrangi, from which Ave were hailed by 
shouts of “haeremai,” so cordial and general that wo halted here 
for dinner. Proceeding two miles farther along the strand we arrived 
at the To Puna Bay and at eventide Ave crossed over to a small 
settlement Ongarahu, where Ave pitched our tents. Wo met only 
about twelve inhabitants, who exhibited a truly unfeigned joy at 
seeing Pakehas, and provided for our comfort to the best of their 
knowledge and ability. T for my part was most heartily glad, to 
have done with the mud-plains and creeks of the Tauranga Harbour, 
and to be once more upon dry ground. How very different every- 
thing here will look in after-years, when a European City shall 
rise on the Tauranga Harbour, and the beautiful country round 
about be dotted with flourishing farms. 
