48S ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. XV. 
upon as hemmed in by mountainous country and pos- 
sessed of no rural district but the Hutt, but as the door 
of a large, fertile, and very available district, both east 
and west, and as the central harbour of a coast- line 
reaching from the East Cape to Kawia. It began to 
be felt, in fact, that in spite of difficulties and obstacles, 
the colony had fairly " taken root," and only wanted 
being left without interference to prosper by means of 
its own natural capabilities. 
During the year, 119 vessels had entered, and 112 
vessels had left the port. The White population al- 
ready amounted to 2500 men, women, and children ; 
and there were nearly 200 houses erected in a to\vn of 
which the inhabitants had been in possession but four 
months, and during two months out of that time 
doubts of a secure title had prevented many from 
erecting 'a permanent or substantial dwelling upon 
the land : 18,000 acres of rural land had been se- 
lected by the end of the year, and held out a large 
field for enterprise in the coming season. Out of the 
whole community, only twenty-five men were on the 
Company's hands, pursuant to their engagement to 
employ labouring emigrants until they found service ; 
and these were receiving twenty shillings a-week, be- 
sides their rations which might fairly be counted as 
seven shillings more. 
But few causes of sorrow had to be weighed against 
these facts. A crimping-vessel from Launceston had, 
to be sure, induced fourteen labourers to leave the 
place ; but among these there was only one whose 
departure was regretted. The event had served to 
remind all of the last act of the Lieutenant-Govern- 
or and his total neglect of Cook's Strait and its 
inhabitants ; but people were getting tired of this sub- 
