284 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. VIII. 
former native sail was made of a fine grass, woven into 
very pretty patterns, with graceful open work in 
various parts. 
Our helmsman was so inexpert in managing his 
steer-oar while running before a freshening breeze, 
which sent up a short chopping swell as we advanced 
from under the shelter of Kapiti, that he yawed us 
about till we shipped a sea, and it was determined to 
reef the sail. As this happened oflf Otaki, where 
their enemies the IVgatiraukawa reside in large numbers, 
the natives got much confused and alarmed, and cle- 
verly managed to break the lug-yard. It was at 
length fished, and we proceeded more steadily. 
The boys pointed out to me the mouth of a river 
called Okau, about fifteen miles from TVaikanae. As 
we ran along about two miles from the shore, I saw a 
remarkable grove of high pine-trees rising from behind 
the sand-hummocks. This was an hour before sun- 
down ; and they told me that it was near the mouth of 
a river called the Manawatu, or " Hold-breath," which 
flows into the sea about twenty-five miles from Ka- 
piti. The hills between this and Otaki turn in to 
the eastward, so that the country begins to form a 
plain of great breadth. 
At sunset the wind died away, and the boys paddled 
hard to reach another river called Rangitikei ; but we 
found a heavy surf at its entrance, and although the 
moon shone bright, and fires were made by the natives 
on shore, it was reckoned prudent to defer the land- 
ing till daylight. When we had made an offing of 
about a mile, the crew repeated a short prayer, and 
then composed themselves to sleep, except those who 
alternately watched against a change in the weather 
or the drifting of the canoe towards the shore. When 
I woke -once or twice during the night, the canoe was 
