DESCEIPTIYE NAEEATIVE OP JOTJENEY. 
23 
heavily during the day, compelled us to stop here, and, fancying 
that we could obtain some fern root, we camped. 
For two days the rain continued to fall in torrents, and a little 
rivulet, which had had in it but comparatively few drops of water, 
rapidly rose at least six feet, whilst the Kuhu, previously a meie 
brook, rushed like a torrent past our tent. ¥e remained here lor 
two miserable days, during which we found it impossible to make 
a fire outside, or obtain dry wood, so that we were obliged to sit 
squatting together in our only tent, having sent back our second 
tent from tlio Atataki-taki plains. AVe boiled a little tea, and 
flour and water, with damp wood, which filled the tent with 
smote, so that at times we could scarcely breathe or open our 
eyes. Mr. Mackay’s Maories had already dug for fern root, and 
we found, beside their sticks, a large quantity which they had left, 
as being evidently unfit for use. The men, being very hungry 
(for during these rainy days I had placed the whole party on a 
single meal per day), went to dig for fresh tern root, but, notwith¬ 
standing we tried hard to eat what they obtained, we were unable 
to do so, as it was all nearly rotten. 
These were two trying days, but I endeavoured to appear 
cheerful, in order to keep up my men’s spirits, and to combat the 
discontent naturally caused by hunger and the very uncomfortable 
position to which we were then reduced. At length the sun again 
3 egan to shine brightly, and on the 9th of March we started, 
ascending the course of the still swollen stream, and at times 
wading to our hips in the yellow, dashing, foaming water. After 
having proceeded a mile, I found a letter from Mr. Afackay, 
beneath a piece of bark, on a well marked tree. In this he told 
me “ that the stream I was then ascending could not be the 
Euhu, because, instead of flowing from the south-west, it flowed 
from the north; that he had in consequence returned, intending 
to follow the large opening towards the south, on the eastern side 
of which he expected to find the Euhu flowing.” We therefore 
struck across the plain, which was here from one to one and a half 
mile broad, and followed the faint marks left by Mr. Mackay s 
track. Leaving the forest behind us, we came to boggy ground, 
covered here and there with stunted scrub, and forming occasional 
swamps, through which we had to wade. After proceeding about 
two miles in this direction we came to a larger swamp, lying on the 
top of a saddle, from which water flowed on both sides, forming 
apparently the watershed between two large rivers. This filled us 
all with joy. Tor several miles we followed this desolate and 
dreary track, and evening was already close upon us without our 
having found a spot dry enough to pitch our tent. At length we 
reached a little terrace, on the mossy surface of which, amongst 
some stunted birch trees, we selected a spot suitable for our camp. 
The sun shone brightly the next day, and we continued on our 
road, full of hope, and found the river flowing S.S.W., the 
