426 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. XV. 
Kau arapawtty that place being deserted by the inhabit- 
ants, who were busy gathering their crops ; and pushed 
on the next day. We found the scenery improving iu 
magnificence as we proceeded. Occasionally we passed 
picturesque little settlements hung midway down the 
partly cleared acclivities, or laid out on small flats 
bounded by the mountains and a bend of the river. 
Long reaches walled in by steeps that were mantled 
with noble forest or high fern, and dotted here and 
there with stern crags, stretched between the bends ; 
and at each bend the river generally foamed over a 
rapid of greater or less ascent. After passing several 
of these by poling, and ascending the current about 
ten miles from our sleeping-place, we gave the natives 
a rest at mid-day on a shingly beach at the foot of a 
rapid which shot down with more than usual force. 
The river above it turned sharp to the right, and facing 
us was a steep wall of verdure rising to the height of 
some hundred feet. 
My boys had told me that E Kuru was entertain- 
ing a large party of visitors from TVaikuto, and that 
we might expect to meet him before we reached his 
settlement. We had not long disembarked before 
the regular song of the war-canoe rang from the 
woods opposite ; and, as we rose to look about us, a 
large fleet came round the point and shot the rapid at 
full speed. E Kuru was in one of the last canoes, 
and beckoned those who had passed to turn in to our 
encampment. Here the whole party rested for an 
hour. The chief introduced me to the principal men 
among his visitors, who already knew me by name as 
" the White man who had paid for TVanganui ;" and 
he reminded me of several old acquaintances among 
his relations, who were also in the train. He then 
invited me to travel in his canoe, where the stern- 
