172 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. VI. 
cook, had a knack of making excellent dishes of pork, 
potatoes, pumpkins, leeks, and fish, of which we got 
plenty. Then Dicky was never at a loss for a yarn, 
and kept us all in good humour. A clamber to the top 
of the island two or three times a day to look out for 
a sail afforded some employment ; as the path was any- 
thing but easy, and the footing on the worn rock rather 
precarious. About half a dozen huts were perched 
about on different parts of the rock, and caves were 
hollowed out wherever the ground had been soft 
enough, and neat wooden doors placed to shelter the 
stores in them. 
We landed twice on the main during these twelve 
days ; but were glad to return to the island to sleep, 
the mosquitoes being in myriads on shore. We did 
not walk far from the landing-place, as the natives had 
no great store of food on the main, and it was neces- 
sary to embark before the surf should be too heavy for 
our small canoes. 
Dr. Dieffenbach related to us his adventures in two 
attempts, the first of which had been unsuccessful, to 
reach the summit of Mount Egmont, which he had cal- 
culated to be about 9000 feet above the level of the sea. 
He had also been along the coast as far as Mokau about 
halfway to Kawia, where he had been received by the 
natives with primitive hospitality. He has since given, 
in a publication of his own,* an interesting journal of 
these expeditions. 
Our monotony was somewhat varied, too, by a fire 
which destroyed one of the huts on the island, and a 
good deal of native wealth, such as slates, catechisms, 
and muskets ; by the arrival of two missionary teach- 
ers, liberated slaves, who preached the old story with 
much vehemence ; and by the execution of native law 
* Dieffenbach's 'Travels in New Zealand,' London, 1843. 
