176 AUCKLAND chap. 
on the waves. Now she tossed and groaned, the 
swish of water was to be heard everjrwhere, and all 
the elements, combining to play havoc on deck, were 
holding high carnival. 
For three days we bore the misery of the storm as 
best we could, but all things have an end, even sea- 
sickness, and most of our passengers had by that time 
gained their sea-l^s. 
Passing the North Cape of New Zealand (the first 
land we saw) we went through a school of whales, 
and close beside us watched a most exciting fight 
between one and a " thrasher." The latter, apparently, 
was victorious. The whale lay its full lengfth on the 
top of the water almost motionless, and, judging from 
the constant flapping of its big tail backwards and 
forwards, it was evident that its energies were nearly 
spent. Through the glass we saw thousands of sea- 
birds on the rocks, and on the point of one a whole 
colony of gulls sitting on their nests. As the sun went 
down we passed through a narrow passage between 
curious-shaped rocks, one forming a huge archway, and 
at daylight next morning woke to find ourselves at 
anchor alongside the wharf in Auckland, in such a 
downpour of rain that we were greeted only by a sea 
of umbrellas and dripping cabmen. 
On Sunday morning we went across in the ferry- 
boat to the North Shore for service on board H.M.S. 
Curagoa, now lying in dock, and afterwards up Mount 
Eden, which is to Auckland what the harbour is to 
Sydney. The mountain has still the remains of its 
terraced fortifications, and the vast basin of the extinct 
crater at the top is about 200 feet deep. Judging 
from the many such you can count in all directions, this 
must have been a warm and exciting comer of New 
Zealand. For sixty miles round you can look down 
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