Chap. VIII. PUMICE-STONE— £ KURU. 237 
the TVaikatOy take their source. All the coasts of 
Cook's Strait, indeed, are sprinkled with the pumice 
which constantly floats down the two first of these 
rivers. 
in the evening, E Kuru and about a dozen of his 
attendants arrived, with some slaves bearing potatoes 
and karaka-nut^ for our party. I had been much at- 
tracted by the engaging disposition and manners of 
this young chief during the few days which he spent 
on board the Tory ; and was delighted to renew our 
acquaintance. He also appeared much pleased, and 
greeted me most cordially. 
The drift-wood, which abounded on the beach, 
served to maintain large fires, in the ashes of which 
the potatoes were roasted ; and it also formed a shelter 
from the wind, no despicable precaution against the 
fine sand which otherwise penetrates everything. 
Two small court-yards were formed by placing logs 
upright close to each other ; one for our party and 
one for our visitors. At dusk, prayers were said, all 
having become mihanere ; and then we lay down in- 
side our fences. The wind died away with the setting 
sun, and the same clear moon and stars and heavy dew 
presided over the night. 
In the morning, the sun rose cheerfully into a sky of 
pure blue ; and the surf being much abated, the young 
men launched the canoe and proceeded towards the 
mouth of the river. I preferred walking with E Kuru 
along the beach. I was of course bare-footed, all at- 
tempts at finding my unfortunate boot having proved 
ineffectual. The survivor was borne as a melancholy 
memento by one of my attendants, who took great pride 
in explaining its details and the fate of its companion 
to the wondering strangers. At one or two spots we 
got a glimpse l)etween the sand-hummocks of the snowy 
