260 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. VIII. 
with forest. The plain is generally covered with 
fern, grass, and the tutu shrub. ITiis plant somewhat 
resembles the elder in the pith of its stem, and bears 
bunches of small black berries. The seeds of these are 
poisonous ; but the natives make a sickly beverage by 
pressing the berries, and carefully straining the juice 
from the seed. I shall have to recur to this plant in 
another place with regard to its effect on cattle. The 
rivers and their tributaries appeared to flow in deep 
trenches, hollowed out of the table-land, and fringed 
with wood. The path which we followed led princi- 
pally through fern, sometimes ten or twelve feet high. 
Where it was only two or three feet high, it was often 
matted over the path, which is not much used ; so that 
my legs and feet were well scratched before the even- 
ing. I had tried sandals woven for me by natives of 
green flax, but found that they hurt my feet, and had 
thus learned to go along bare-footed. 
About dusk, we passed through some fertile and 
pleasant gardens and out-settlements belonging to 
Tf^aitotara, in which the people were harvesting and 
gardening ; and soon after descended into the valley of 
that river, about a mile above the fishing- weir. Not- 
withstanding the pain ensuing to my feet, I had en- 
joyed this walk much better than that along the beach ; 
as the views across a level and fertile country had 
afforded much variety and excitement. 
We found Te Ihujniku nearly deserted ; but forty 
or fifty people came in from the nearer cultivations to 
prayers in the evening. I was happy to find that the 
malignant teacher was away at a distant settlement. 
The people were, in consequence, much more urbane in 
their treatment of me. I had some food cooked over- 
night for my boys, who were all mihanere ; but in the 
morning they refused to travel at all As I was very 
