146 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. VI. 
north of which cliffs of moderate height commence, 
and continue all round, with but few interruptions, to 
the Sugar-loaf Islands. 
During the next seven days we were tormented by 
fresh gales from between west and north during the 
day, and calm moonlight nights. In our various tacks 
towards the coast we could frequently distinguish 
breaks in the cliff, which Barrett recognised as the 
locations of Te Namu, Tf^aimate^ and other spots ren- 
dered famous by the visits of the Alligator, and at 
which he had reposed during the great migration of 
the Ngatiawa. 
We enjoyed magnificent views of Tonga Riro, a 
high snowy mountain about ninety miles from the 
coast, in which the JVanganui takes its rise, and 
also of Mount Egmont or Taranaki. The latter 
forms a beautiful object from the sea. It rises gra- 
dually and evenly from a circle thirty or forty miles in 
diameter, one- third of which circle is formed by the 
sea. With the exception of a small group of low hills 
near the Sugar-loaf Islands, the land between the sea 
and the mountain forms an inverted amphitheatre, 
wooded down to within six or seven miles of the cliffs. 
The open ground seemed also interspersed with wooded 
portions. The Ngatiawa natives on board with Bar- 
rett almost cried with joy as they looked once more on 
what all the natives agree in describing as the garden 
of the country. We found soundings in all parts of 
the bay between Kapiti and Cape Egmont. The lead 
gave thirteen fathoms at three miles' distance from the 
entrance of Pf^anganuL 
We at length anchored to the north of the middle 
Sugar-loaf Island, on the morning of the 27th, in eight 
fathoms. A long swell from S.W. made us rpll very 
heavily. 
