Chap. VIII. PARRAMATTA. 219 
anxious to push on to the spot where " Geordie Bolts" 
of Te-awa-iti had his whaling-station, as a heavy rain 
made it desirable to seek some shelter for the night. On 
advancing about a mile along the flat muddy beach of 
the harbour, I came to a hut, where three Europeans 
were gathered round a fire. They told me that it was 
yet two or three miles to the station, and that the tide 
was now up to the foot of the wooded hills further 
along, leaving no dry path. I therefore accepted their 
offer of a part of their hut. It was a miserably-built 
affair, and let in plenty of rain ; but I covered myself 
with two or three thick blankets, and they kept me 
warm, although wet through before morning. 
The three men were exceedingly rough-looking -fel- 
lows ; and were engaged, they told me, to go to Port 
Nicholson and drive back the cattle belonging to the 
Polynesian Company, to the land purchased by them 
at this place. I afterwards heard that I had passed 
the night with three of the most dangerous characters 
on the coast, all supposed to be escaped convicts from 
New South Wales. They were the positive refuse of 
the whaling-stations. They treated me, however, with 
kindness and hospitality in their rough way. 
At daylight a sawyer's boat, attached to the whal- 
ing-station, came into a creek close to the hut ; and I 
made a bargain with him to convey me to Parramatta, 
as the whaling-station had been named, after a town 
in the environs of Sydney in New South Wales. My 
native attendants had been but scantily supplied with 
food, and started off along shore to a settlement near 
the mouth of the harbour where they had some friends. 
As I proceeded in the boat, I saw them wading along 
under the branches of the trees, often immersed up to 
their waists in the high tide 
After a pull of about three miles, we arrived at 
Parramatta. It is situated on a low point of clear 
