160 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. VI. 
close to two other barques which were loading kauri* 
timber for New South Wales. On the bank to our 
left was the house and store of a timber-dealer and 
general storekeeper. In front was a small flat island, 
on which were some sawyers* and blacksmiths' work- 
shops. On either side of this island a tributary of the 
Hokianga flowed into the pool in which we lay. To 
the right a point of land just hid from us the buildings 
of the head Wesleyan mission. In ascending the 
river we had passed Herd's Point. This is a tract of 
land that was purchased by the agent of the Company 
of 1825, mentioned in the first chapter, which had 
become incorporated with the New Zealand Land 
Company. It is a tongue of land formed by the junc- 
tion of two tributaries, and is quite level and covered 
with small wood. We heard that the portion pur- 
chased only comprised about half a square mile, and 
high hills bound its inner side. 
We found the whole country about the Hokia?iga 
river very irregular ; and though there is a good deal 
of valuable and available land, it is much dispersed 
among steep hills, and intersected by innumerable 
creeks and mangrove-swamps. At low water the 
banks of the rivers have a most dismal appearance ; 
these swamps and extensive banks of mud drying out 
to a considerable distance from the sound bank, and 
thus making the operation of landing extremely diffi- 
cult and inconvenient. 
During the next two days we visited different parts 
of the river. At MangungUy the Wesleyan Missionary 
station above mentioned, we met with Mr. Bumby, 
then Chairman of the mission. 
We found in this gentleman a truly worthy teacher 
* Spelt Kowdie in many works. 
