in New Zealand . 
291 
through which means many a noble forest of pines has 
been entirely consumed. # 
Arriving at Kaipara, we found we had no means of 
crossing the harbour; a sheet of water, which, from 
where we now stood (at the extreme southern inlet) to 
the nearest landing-place on the northern shore, was 
more than fifty miles across. Our situation at this 
place was rather unpleasant, no natives being near by; 
we preferred, however, to wait here a day or two, in 
hopes of a canoe arriving at the landing-place, rather 
than retrace our steps to Otahuhu. In this place we 
remained until the night of Tuesday the 8th, making 
fires on the brow of the hill, in order to attract the 
attention of the natives residing on the opposite shores 
of the water before us. No one, however, came; and 
on Tuesday, reconnoitring with my glass, I detected 
the roof of a hut about four miles distant, which, from 
its construction, I knew to belong to a white. Thither, 
without delay, I despatched two of my natives; who, to 
* It is a very common practice with the Mew Zealanders in travelling 
(especially when passing through forests and over paths by which they 
will have to return), to select some noble Rata tree (Metrosideros ro- 
busta), Or Rimu (Daerydiiwi enpresstnum), of giant size, having a 
hollow near the root. In this hollow they make a small fire, which burns 
slowly on for several weeks, eating its way upwards through the tree, 
even to the ends of the larger branches, ere the bark becomes injured or 
the leaves change their appearance. I have myself seen such a spectacle 
as the one just adverted to — a living tree on fire I the whole heart-wood 
of the trunk and main branches being entirely consumed, and smoke 
issuing from the ends of the largest limbs, at a height of 20 feet from the 
ground,- the leaves being still green, and apparently not at all affected 
by the fire which had been for some weeks burning within. The natives 
do this, in order to procure fire for their tobacco pipes; or rather, fo save 
themselves the burden of carrying a tindcr-box and the labour of striking 
a light. 
