Chap. VI. HOKIANGA—SIGT^AhS. 149^ 
On the evening of the first of December, we came 
in sight of what we supposed to be the heads of Ho- 
Jcianga. We had on board some printed directions, 
given us in England, stating that a regular pilot lived 
at the entrance, and that a flag-staff on the south head 
was used to direct ships, by its signals, over the bar. 
As we could see no flag-staff, and as the sea appeared 
to break right across the entrance, we fired several 
guns, but received no answer. Accordingly, we stood 
off all night, and in the morning ran down about ten 
miles to the south, and found the real place. We had 
been last night off TVangaipe harbour, a place some- 
times called False HoJcianga, on account of its great 
similarity to this harbour. The thick weather had 
prevented any observations, and our dead reckoning 
had led us into this error. We passed safely over 
the bar, directed by the flag-staff, which is very ingeni- 
ously arranged, so as to incline to the right or left as 
may be required, A vessel entering or going out has 
to obey its motions by standing in the corresponding 
direction. We found a quarter-less-four, on the shoalest 
part of the bar, which was not breaking anywhere. 
The pilot, Mr. Martin, came on board after we had 
passed all the dangers, and took charge of the ship up 
the river. 
Immediately at the entrance were high sand-hills ; 
but the appearance of the banks improved, being clear 
and level for some way back as we advanced. About 
twenty miles up the river the banks had become irre- 
gular and wooded. At a place called the Narrows 
they approach one another within two ships' lengths, 
having been as much as a mile or two apart up to that 
place. Two or three miles above the Narrows, and 
twenty-six miles from the river's mouth, we anchored 
