Chap. VI. NEIGHBOURHOOD OP KAIPARA. ' 1<J« 
water-communication thus exists along the northern 
part of the North Island, commencing near the isthmus 
between the two coasts, and ending at the spot up the 
Pf^airoa where Colonel Wakefield left the river ; from 
which short overland paths communicate with the 
Bay of Islands and Hokianga. 
The land, however, in the neighbourhood of Kai- 
para harbour and its tributaries is far from promising 
in appearance. The part near the anchorage is chiefly 
table-land clear of timber; and the barren clay of 
which it consists seems to refuse sustenance to any- 
thing but stunted fern. In the valleys cut out of the 
table-land by sluggish streams there are dull swamps 
which might furnish more available land when 
drained. 
The amateur boat's crew described some of the land 
higher up the river as of a better character, especially 
some hundred acres under excellent cultivation at the 
Wesleyan mission station. 
Mr. White, the former Chairman of the Wesleyan 
mission, had chartered the Navarino, and visited her 
once while she was taking in the splendid spars which 
were rafted down by natives. 
This gentleman had been discharged from the ser- 
vice of the mission some few years before, on account 
of his having engaged very extensively in land-buying 
and trading of all sorts. He was a great land-owner 
on the banks of the Hokianga and Kaipara rivers ; 
and maintained a good deal of the influence which he 
had acquired as a missionary, by retaining the clerical 
habit and continuing to pray and preach to the natives, 
even while bargaining with them in his secular capa- 
city. Mr. White had quarrelled, when in England, 
with some of the projectors of our scheme there, and 
had threatened to oppose us by means of his influence 
M 2 
