32 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. II. 
dotted with many islands, and the northern shore 
of Cook's Strait. They calculated the hill to be 800 
feet above the level of the sea. The second hill he 
ascended with a native guide only. He obtained no 
view from the summit, as it was covered with the 
loftiest forest-trees. He ascertained the height by boil- 
ing water to be upwards of 1500 feet. His guide was 
a good deal frightened, and tried to dissuade him from 
proceeding, before they had completed the ascent, by 
legends of fierce monsters whom they would be sure to 
meet. On one occasion I formed one of a party who 
ascended the hill to a considerable height, by the course 
of one of the streams. We climbed up the sides of some 
picturesque waterfalls, and attained the top of a ridge 
covered with the largest trees. The trunks of some of 
these reached to the height of seventy or eighty feet 
without a branch. This elevated part of the forest 
was almost free from underwood, and moreover quite 
silent, the birds appearing to remain in the lower and 
more lively regions. It was impossible not to be struck 
by the majesty of this primaeval forest. 
August 3 1 . — The weather, which had been very bois- 
terous, with much rain, during the last few days, cleared 
up this morning. Having completed most of our re- 
fittings, and laid in a good stock of potatoes and water, 
we weighed anchor at 10 in the morning, and stood up 
the Sound with a light wind and favouring tide. We 
bade adieu to our friends the natives, and set Te Tf^etu 
and Ngarewa ashore as we got under way. We M'^ere, 
however, accompanied by the native teacher William, 
and by the native who had sprung to the wheel on our 
first arrival. The latter, whose native name was 
E Ware, had made himself a general favourite on 
board, and had apparently taken a fancy to the ship ; 
for he installed himself among the men without any 
