(30 
DESCRIPTIVE NARRATIVE OF JOURNEV « 
arrived in Nelson, and heard that all over Isew Zealand the 
autumn and winter had been wet and inclement. 
We started on the 23rd of July, fine weather having set in, 
with sunny cloudless days and cold frosty nights ; and alter a 
walk of fourteen miles over a long sandy and pebbly beach, 
crossing on the way the Orowaiti and Wharetea, we camped 
about three miles south of the Ngakuwaho stream.. 
The next day we continued our route ; hut my right loot, which 
I had hurt about a month before, pained me very much. As I 
hoped however to walk it olf, I determined to go on. On 
arriving at the Ngakuwaho stream, the last river flowing from 
the Papahaua range, finding its boulders consist of coal, shales, 
and grits, I threw off* my load, and ascended the river to examine 
the cliffs on both sides of it, but alter walking hall a mile I was 
compelled to return, being scarcely able to use my loot. This 
obliged us to halt in the middle ol the day, as it had become so 
swollen that I could scarcely get my boot oft, and the weakness 
of the foot from the injury it had received would not permit me 
to carry my present heavy load. In order to husband our pro¬ 
visions, I sent on Mr. Burnett, with one of the Europeans and the 
two Maories, to the Karamea, with instructions to deposit the 
provisions, to send back the Maories, and to explore the valley of 
that river until I arrived, which I hoped to do in a few days after him. 
Although I tried the strongest remedies, I did not, until after 
several days, succeed in reducing the swelling, but I still con¬ 
tinued unable to stand. During the whole of this time we had 
the most glorious weather, and it may be easily understood that I 
felt greatly disheartened at a delay which compelled me to miss 
it, whilst our provisions were diminishing rapidly. This alone 
was sufficient to make me impatient; but to this was added the 
annoyance of thousands of sand-flies during the day, whilst the 
night was disturbed by numbers of troublesome rats. 
I sent two men back to the Buller to get some more flour from 
the natives ; and after they had returned, they proposed, as the 
water in the JNgakuwaho was brackish, to construct a hand- 
barrow, and carry me on a mile and a half to the banks of a little 
streamlet, which fell over a cliff* on the sea-shore. Before con¬ 
senting to this I tried my foot, and found, although with con¬ 
siderable pain, that I could walk on my toes, so that I declined 
their good-natured offer, and started with them, moving slowly, 
and walking through the surf in order to strengthen the suffering 
limb. On arriving at the stream I found that I could manage to 
proceed, and after bathing my foot in the falling water, I walked 
two miles further. In the evening the two Maories returned, 
and brought a letter from Mr. Burnett, stating that the man with 
him had severely scalded his foot, so that he was unable to pro¬ 
ceed, and that he hoped to see me soon. This, as may be 
imagined, did not diminish my previous vexations. 
