238 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. VITI. 
summit of Tonga Riro, a broad-topped mountain. Al- 
though at least seventy miles distant, it was perfectly 
clear and distinct. 
After walking about eight miles along the beach, 
we struck off across the hummocks, and two miles more 
brought us to an elevation whence I discovered the 
first reach of the fJ^anganui river. We were close to 
its south bank, and the entrance appeared about two 
miles to the westward, leaving but a narrow tongue of 
sand between this reach and the sea. I at once recog^ 
nized the low cliffs of sand on the north head, and per- 
ceived the snowy cone of Mount Egmont over the 
tapering point of land to the west. A large extent of 
flat open country stretched away to the north-west on 
the opposite side of the river, here a])out half a mile in 
width. Descending to the beach of the river, we 
soon reached an encampment at the foot of a high cliff, 
which formed a bluff point on the south bank. A tent 
had been made purposely for me of the mast, yard, 
and sail of a canoe ; and food, cooks, and steaming- 
ovens met the eye on every side. E Kuru gracefully 
waved me to the tent, and invited me to rest. He 
prevented the inquisitive crowd Irom entering its door, 
and sat outside himself until I asked him to come in. 
It was lined with clean mats, so as to form a comfort- 
able covered couch. 
Several large canoes arrived in the course of the 
day from the villages higher up ; and there were soon 
about a hundred persons assembled near the tent. 
Many of the chiefs made formal speeches, to the effect 
that I was welcome to the place. They afterwards 
approached the tent, and E Kuru told me their different 
names and relationship to himself. Immediately on 
my arrival, he had killed a pig for me ; at that time an 
invariable custom of native politeness towards a guest. 
