58 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. HI. 
situations, a kind of cabbage-tree, called ti by the na- 
tives, flourishes in great abundance. Its branches are 
covered with distinct bunches of long fibrous leaves, 
which grow in an erect position. The kohai, too, a 
species of mimosa, covered with bright yellow blossoms, 
abounds in such situations, where the stunted growth 
is an almost unvarying sign of constant inundation. 
Among the rank grass and weeds which feathered both 
banks, some small teal constantly escaped our guns ; 
but the pigeons, which sat still on the high branches 
over our heads until we dropped them almost into our 
boat, more than repaid the loss. We remarked, occa- 
sionally, vestiges of floods which seem to have risen 
ten feet in this confined valley. As we proceeded, the 
boat had frequently to be tracked over shallows and 
rapids, the natives leaping readily into the water for 
this purpose. Just before we reached our destination 
for the night, we fell in with a party of the Rangi- 
tane, or tributary natives. These came to our assist- 
ance at the last severe rapid, and obeyed, in apparent 
fear and trembling, every direction of Charley and the 
other members of the victorious tribe. They had as- 
cended hither from Anakoa Bay, in order to collect 
flax and work it into mats as part of their tribute to 
Rauperaha ; and had formed a temporary encamp- 
ment on a shingly island covered with high flax of 
the finest kind, nearly opposite to which we took up our 
position for the night. On the boughs of a small 
grove of trees, beneath which we lit our fire and dis- 
posed our beds and provisions, the pigeons settled in 
great numbers towards sunset. We had only to fire 
as quickly as the fowling-pieces were loaded by the na- 
tives, hardly stirring from one position, the death of 
one bird not disturbing the equanimity of his compa- 
nion on the same branch. 
