FORMATION OF ROADS. 
191 
was marked out, possessing, in a high degree, 
both these advantages. The people expressed 
their willingness to part with it; and the land 
was made over, in proper form, to the Church 
Missionary Society and its Agents. 
There were many difficulties in the way of 
forming this establishment: the first of which 
was, the want of a road, over which a cart could 
be driven, to convey stores to and from the coast, 
or the Kerikeri, a distance of about ten miles. 
After much research, a road was at length found, 
which headed most of the deep ravines, and 
avoided the swamps. By the erection of three 
substantial bridges — one of them over the river 
Waitangi, a deep and rapid stream, and two others 
over smaller and less important streams ; and by 
cutting through a wood for about a quarter of a 
mile ; a good road was formed, passable for drays 
and carts, both in summer and winter. The span 
of the bridge over the Waitangi is sixty feet; and 
its height, from the bed of the river, forty feet. 
This great work was performed, in little more than 
three months, by the natives themselves, with the 
assistance of Messrs. Clarke and Hamlin ; who, 
in conjunction with Mr. Davis and myself, were 
appointed to reside at the New Settlement. Early 
in the year 1830 , the Station was formed: the 
spot was admirably adapted for all the purposes 
for which it was intended, being in the centre of 
a numerous body of natives, within a reasonable 
distance of other tribes, with land available for all 
