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34 
wood is so strong, and the ratan or supple-jack 
so netted from branch to branch, and interwoven 
with the underwood, as to prevent either ingress 
or egress, unless pioneers have cleared the way 
before you. Then again, as there is nothing at 
the bottom of these ravines except a small brook, 
the spars must be dragged up three or four hun- 
dred yards of very steep hill, rolled down the 
opposite side, and then, perhaps, have the same 
process to undergo, before they arrive at one of 
the main branches of the river, leading to the tide ; 
and even then they must await the contingency 
of a flood, for floating them down to the harbour 
where they are to be embarked. The greatest 
caution is necessary in floating logs of large 
dimensions down the very narrow rivers of New 
Zealand, as their form is serpentine ; and some- 
times the angle is so sharp, as to throw a large log 
right across the stream, and fix it immoveably, 
with either end in the bank. With the machinery 
that is used in England, for removing great 
weights, the work might be much facilitated; but 
whose purpose will it answer to bring expensive 
machinery to New Zealand ? From all I know of 
any timber-district in the country, the Hokianga, 
and its tributary streams, afford the greatest faci- 
lities for obtaining a cargo of good spars; as 
there they grow nearer to the water’s edge, and 
have a splendid stream of nearly thirty miles, 
down which they can be flqated ; when they ar- 
rive at the main river. There is, however, this 
