214 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. CflAP. VII. 
ot 1837, burst into the tent, soaked through, but ap- 
parently wild with excitement and pleasure at having 
at length landed on the shores of the country in which 
he had been so long interested. He told us that the 
three ships were, the Adelaide, in which his family 
and those of several other principal colonists were 
passengers ; the Glenbervie, which bore the manager, 
clerks, and well-lined safe of a branch of the Union 
Bank of Australia, both from London ; and the Tory, 
with which they had kept company from Port Hardy. 
In the morning, a grand salute was fired by all the 
ships, which lay at anchor in an extended line between 
the beach and Somes's Island. The weather was 
delicious; and a large concourse of those on shore 
assembled to gaze on the imposing sight. Six large 
ships, decked with colours, above which the New 
Zealand flag floated supreme, were thundering away. 
The natives shared in the general excitement, and pro- 
posed to take Colonel Wakefield in their canoes round 
the fleet. No sooner said than done ; and away they 
started in three large war-canoes, racing under the 
stern of each ship in succession, while the salute con- 
tinued. In Epums canoe, the place of honour near 
the stern was assigned to Colonel Wakefield ; and 
the two other canoes were commanded by ff^arepori 
and Tuarau. They shouted their war-song most 
vigorously as they passed close to each astonished 
poop-load of passengers, and completed the circle of 
the vessels at full speed without a single pause. I 
was much amused by the grimaces of E Moe, or 
" Sleep," who plied his paddle at the bow of his 
brother Epimi's canoe, which got back first to the 
beach. " Sleep " grinned hideously over each bow al- 
ternately in unison with the wild canoe-song. 
During the next few days, the passengers of the 
