CHAPTER IV 
Letter IV. Napier. — Arrival at Napier — Memorials of the War — 
Pipiriki — How passengers land — A kindly couple — Advice to would-be 
emigrants — A good Governor. 
Napier. 
For many miles of our journey from Taupo we drove 
along a most dreary waste of flat, hungry-looking 
country, with no sign of any living thing. Then 
followed the mountain ranges, through which, for the 
last day of the drive, the horses literally climbed a narrow 
zigzag roadway. The deep gorges were hundreds of 
feet below, and the river, that always seemed to follow 
us, was still madly rushing over its rocks and falling 
into cascades in every direction. By the old roads the 
coach used to cross the river forty-three times in the one 
day’s journey. At the highest point on the range, 
2600 feet, we passed through a flock of 5000 sheep. 
I don’t think that our horses quite liked it, and I am 
sure that the sheep did not, for many of them rolled in 
the most uncomfortable manner down the steep moun- 
tain-side. 
As we came near Napier the fern-covered hills 
became lower and the country more fertile ; then down 
in a long valley we came upon an English -looking 
landscape, with cultivated fields on both sides of the 
road, and homely-looking cottages. The Harbour 
presently lay before us and in the distance the town of 
