356 
THOMSON’S SURVEY OF THE 
[June 14, 1858. 
great bird, tbe Moa, may yet exist. Between the Waian River and 
the West coast the country is covered with forest up to the snow 
line. It is a tract of 100 miles n. and s. and 50 miles e. and w., and 
here, and here only, are there hopes of finding live specimens of the 
gigantic bird the moa ; and considering the very recent indications 
of its presence, everywhere found in the vicinity, the supposition of 
its existence at the present time, at least, has grounds for enter- 
tainment. 
Jacob River settlement deserves some notice. It formed one of 
the many whaling stations that formerly studded the coast of New 
Zealand, and is now probably the only place where whaling is still 
carried on. Twenty or thirty years ago, when whales were nume- 
rous, vessels came here from Sydney and Hobart Town, but owing 
to the savage character of the natives, the captains of the ships kept 
as much aloof from them as possible, and selected stations that 
were naturally safe from sudden attacks. Codfish Island was the 
best of these ; it is situated in a stormy sea, with only one landing 
place, and in a convenient position for whaling and sealing. 
The natives of the coast, and of Centre Island and Raupuki, w~ere 
3000 to 4000 in number, and warlike as they were, were neverthe- 
less inferior in strength to the northern tribes, who made constant 
raids upon them. Consequently they were driven to the islands 
from motives of fear similar to those which made the whalers select 
Codfish Island as their station. Friendly relations and inter- 
marriages between the whites and the aborigines soon followed, 
and, as a fruit of their mutual confidence, the white man began to 
extend the scene of his enterprises along the coast, other settlements 
were formed, and Codfish Island fell into secondary importance. 
These new settlements were The Bluff, New River, Waikawa, 
Jacob River, &c., and they all flourished so long as whales con- 
tinued plentiful. But a change took place, the whales were 
nearly exterminated and the remainder deserted these waters. The 
native race declined rapidly in number; measles alone swept off 
two-thirds of them, and other imported diseases were very destruc- 
tive ; at present the natives of these parts do not exceed 400 in 
number. 
Centre Island is deserted ; a few natives live scattered among the 
settlements, but the principal remnant is at Raupuki. As to the 
Europeans, such as had not contracted ties with the natives removed 
elsewhere, the others eked out a dull existence ; their native wives 
tilled the ground, and now and then a ship called, ready to exchange 
tobacco, &c., for potatoes and fresh pork. Such was the condition 
of this part of New Zealand, until within the last two years, when 
