246 
Memoranda of an Excursion 
Having roasted a few potatoes, on which we dined, I 
endeavoured to cheer my companions in travel, but to 
little purpose. Re-commencing, however, our journey,, 
we continued our march, through want of water, until 
long after sunset. Fortunately, I succeeded in finding 
some, by the side of which, in the wilderness, we en¬ 
camped—all too fatigued to care much about anything 
save rest. Gained nothing new in the whole of this 
melting day’s horrid march; fern, fern—nothing but dry, 
dusty fern, all around! I gathered somewhere, in the 
course of the day, a diseased branch of Haxtonia fur- 
furacea , which was curiously distorted, and surrounded 
with several cells of almost a regular hexagonal shape,, 
probably caused by the punctures of insects. I have 
often noticed such deformities in various plants, but, as 
far as I recollect, I never saw it so regular or so large 
before. A river, the bed of which we descended into 
and crossed, ran at the depth of from 30 to 80 feet 
below the surface of the soil on either side. A coarse 
slate, and thinly stratified sand-stone, formed its bed. 
The next morning at a very early hour we arose, and, 
with stiff and unwilling limbs, proceeded onwards. 
Want of food, in great measure impelled us forward, as 
we had yesterday been led to suppose, that we should 
reach the next village by night. After three long hours 
spent in active exertion, we reached Wataroa, a small 
village, where we were heartily welcomed. Having 
breakfasted and rested awhile, we left this villiage, and 
continued our march, which, as yesterday, lay over high 
hills, which rose in perpetual succession before us, 
appearing as if they were without valleys between. 
The country, as we progressed into the interior, became 
more and more barren; a scanty vegetation of stunted 
