CuAv. ni. THINGS LEFT UNDONE. 73 
And yet the shipping had never been more busy 
than during the Governor's stay at Barrett's hotel. As 
though to contradict his ungenerous adoption of the 
calumnies of his ignorant Colonial Secretary against the 
port, ships, brigs, barques, and schooners were con- 
stantly dropping their anchor, or getting under way, 
or tacking just under his bed-room window. Vessels 
from Sydney and the other Australian colonies, from 
South America, from England, whalers for refresh- 
ments, and a numerous flotilla of coasters were daily 
turning the point, sometimes with fair, sometimes 
against contrary winds. The wharfs and beaches 
were almost obstructed by the landing of goods and 
the activity of a port. Indeed those who did hold 
communication with his Excellency often heard him 
acknowledge that, as a port, nothing could surpass 
Port Nicholson, and that " they must not expect to 
" see anything like it at Auckland." 
No Government buildings were appointed to be 
erected. The jail remained a straw hut, very much 
like a part of the adjoining native pa. The great 
barn which served for police-court, post-office, church, 
and court-house, still stood in the same state in which 
it had been deserted by the surveying staff — dilapi- 
dated, nearly tumbling down, and perfectly pervious 
to the wind in every quarter, with straw walls and 
earthen floor. But the large income to be drawn 
from the settlement by the newly enforced customs 
duties appeared doomed to be spent on Auckland. 
The Governor could not refrain from frequent admi- 
ration of the site and capabilities of Wellington, though 
he never went beyond the immediate neighbourhood of 
the town, not even visiting the Hutt. He very much 
qualified the expressions which he thus loudly made use 
of in words, when he got to Auckland and began to 
write home. But we have already seen that his Excel- 
