218 
HISTORY. 
a direction nearly parallel to the coast. At its termination a 
remarkable rock arises which contracts the passage into the 
harbour, but leaves a deep though narrow entrance to it. 
Inside is the town, which has quite the appearance of an old 
established place; at some distance from the town is the valley 
of Waimea which is now divided into valuable properties, and 
is highly cultivated. The population of Nelson and its vicinity 
cannot be less than 5,000; the climate of this settlement is consi¬ 
dered very fine, for although to the south ot the other provinces, 
yet, being sheltered from the cold winds, by high mountains 
at the back and fronting the sun, it enjoys an artificial climate. 
The pomegranite here grows with a degree of luxuriance, which 
is perfectly astonishing, and the fruit attains a size and perfec¬ 
tion which is not exceeded in Australia. The next settlement 
in position, though not in point of time, is that of Port Cooper, 
this being the last is also the least advanced. The port is called 
Lyttleton, and is separated by very high ground, from the 
central plains on which the future capital is to stand: a town 
has been commenced, and called Christ Church ; this district is 
the chief one for sheep, for which the plains are most suitable; 
the population is about 3,000. Attached to this province is 
the small French Settlement on Banks’ Peninsula, called 
Akaroa ; its population is about 500. The most southerly is 
the Scotch one at Otakou, the capital of which is named 
Dunedin; it may have a population of 2,000. Molyneaux 
River and Dusky Bay have also a small population. Stewarts 
Island may have 200. The Auckland Isles, since the departure 
of Governor Enderby, have very few, if any, settlers remain¬ 
ing. All these Settlements enjoy a mild climate, but chiefly 
suffer from high winds,* and want of summer heat. But 
their great extent, affords ample room for thousands of our 
countrymen to find happy homes. 
* It is a joke against the Canterbury Plains, that the sheep have to hold on 
to the toi-toi bushes, to avoid being blown away. 
