Memoranda of an 'Excursion 
264 
1 only observed this elegant fern growing* in two places 
during the whole of my journey; and not above half-a- 
dozen plants in either spot. Toiling up the barren and 
lofty hills before me, I found, near their summits, a 
species of yellow-flowered Composite , which I had not 
previously seen. These hills were composed of broken 
pumice and ashes. The sun was intensely hot, and the 
Toads, in several places worn into deep and hollow 
gorges, were extremely dry and dusty; our feet, and 
even our ancles, being often buried in the loose and 
•broken pumice through which we had to travel. Gain¬ 
ing the summit of the highest hill, the view was most 
extensive and striking. Immediately beneath mean¬ 
dered the Wirinaki, a bold brawling river, flowing 
quickly over its stony bed, and possessing water suffi¬ 
cient to float a moderate sized boat; beyond,were barren 
hills of all possible irregular shapes and heights; further 
still, an extensive plain extended E. and W. as far as 
the eye could reach; beyond which a chain of lofty 
table-topped hills bounded the range of vision; while 
here and there, far away in the extreme distance, several 
high and isolated mountains reared their barren heads 
above the horizon. On the left appeared Tauwara, a 
high mountain in the Taupo district; Paeroa, and Kain- 
garoa, near Ilotoma, presented themselves in front; 
whilst, on the extreme right, Putauaki, the high moun¬ 
tain near Wakatane on the E. coast, upreared its two- 
peaked summit to the clouds. Here, notwithstanding 
the pleasurable height to which my imagination had 
been raised, whilst engaged in contemplating the mag¬ 
nificence and extent of the prospect before me, it soon 
sank below its ordinary level, on finding that not a 
Slum an being-dwelt in all that immense tract of country 
