•0 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chaf. III. 
a mile, expanded into the interior, as we had been led 
to expect from the account of the officers of the Pelorus 
and the unbounded praises of Jacky Guard. The canoe 
was hollowed out of a single tree, and propelled by al- 
ternate paddling, poling, and tracking, as the different 
parts of the river required. Our guides seemed much 
astonished at everything new about us and our equip- 
ments. At a halt which we made about mid-day for 
a meal, some of them wished to taste the brandy which 
we put into the water. The scene that ensued baffles 
description. They made frightful grimaces, held their 
^ throats with both hands, and rushed down to the river 
with a yell, to plunge their gaping mouths and watering 
eyes into the clear stream. I am convinced that they 
had never before tasted ardent liquors, and that they 
would not readily acquire the taste for them. The 
river was no longer navigable even for our small canoe, 
after getting, with great trouble, eight miles from last 
night's camp. The valley continued to get narrower 
instead of expanding ; and the hills, which occasionally 
broke off precipitously at the bank of the stream, also 
changed their character, being clothed with fern instead 
of wood. The valley itself had lost a good deal of its 
woody character; and when we had got two miles 
further, by walking along the bank and through the 
flax-grounds when practicable, and being carried across 
the fords on the natives' shoulders, we found ourselves 
in a narrow fern valley, now and then relieved by 
patches of flax-growing swamp, and small coppices of 
low wood. We reached some miles further than the 
officers of the Pelorus had penetrated with Guard, and 
then retraced our steps, after setting fire in pure mis- 
chief to the fern. The blaze spread far and wide, and 
its glare was perceptible all night from bur camp. On 
the way up we had passed the remains of another large 
