in New Zealand . 
259 
The morning was most gloomy, the rain still inces¬ 
santly poured, and our cold, wet, lonely, and starving 
situation was anything but pleasant; when, as if we 
wanted somewhat more to taste of the very acme of 
cheerlessness, our only guide deserted us, returning to 
Waikare! He had intimated enough last evening to 
lead me to suspect him, and I had kept a watch over 
him, but he easily found an opportunity of leaving us. 
My other natives were all from distant parts of the 
island, and knew no more of this neighbourhood than 
I did. We were now in a dilemma; to go back to Wai¬ 
kare, was, from there being no proper path, not a whit 
easier journey than to go forward to the next village. 
The weather, however, confined us to our rude shelter, 
under which I, clad in light summer clothing, shiver- 
ingly sat, holding an old umbrella over iny head! To¬ 
wards evening the weather moderated, and I ventured 
to walk a few yards among the half-drowned vegetation 
on the banks of the river. Here, I obtained a fine spe¬ 
cimen of a small but handsome shrub, belonging to one 
of the genera Haxtonia , or Br achy glottis. At night, 
rain still pouring down, I called the natives to council, 
to consider what we had better do in this our exigency; 
so we unanimously agreed, u rain or shine/' to proceed 
on our journey to-morrow morning, trusting somehow 
or other to find our way—a determination to which we 
were compelled through hunger, having consumed our 
last scanty meal. 
1842. January 1st.—Early this morning the rain 
ceased; but, as the heavy clouds still shrouded the face 
of heaven, it was just as wet from the dripping trees 
and rank vegetation around us in these deep valleys 
and dark forests, as if it was still raining* We com- 
