in New Zealand . 
269 
flowed into it; as, whenever the natives of the village 
wished to drink, I observed them to go into the lake, 
and dashing the uppermost water aside with their feet, 
quickly take up some from beneath; which, they said, 
was good and cold. The natives of the village informed 
me, that, at a spring on a hill at a little distance, the 
water was quite hot enough for the purposes of cooking, 
for which they often used it. Sulphur, too, abounded 
there, and was often “ thrown up” out of the earth, 
from which place the steam and smoke ever ascended. 
My curiosity being excited, I, while breakfast was 
getting ready, set off with a native of the village as a 
guide to the boiling spring; but, after going up one 
steep hill and not perceiving any sign of the same, and 
being almost exhausted for want of food, hunger con¬ 
quered curiosity and I returned to the village. I have 
often been surprised at the great carelessness which 1 
have exhibited towards rare natural productions, when 
either over-fatigued or ravenously hungry; at such 
times, botanical, geological, and other specimens, which 
I have eagerly and with much pleasure collected and 
carefully carried for many a weary mile, have become 
quite a burden, and have been one-by-one abandoned; 
to be, however, invariably regretted afterwards. Break¬ 
fast ended, we, accompanied by the chief of the village, 
paddled nearly to the opposite side of the lake. This 
sheet of water is about three and a half miles in length, 
and from one to two miles in breadth; is surrounded 
on all sides by barren hills, and is very deep. Landing, 
and walking about two furlongs, we came to Karelia, 
another little lake much smaller than the preceding. 
Here, we were obliged to sit and wait some time before 
we could get a canoe, which having obtained, we pad- 
