58 
the most ancient of the settlements in these 
northern regions and the spot which tradi- 
tion ascribes as the site of the cannibal 
ae the victims of the Boyd massacre pro- 
vided. 
After a halt for a few minutes for some 
tea and light refreshments, we resumed our 
journey, the next small township we passed 
being Waipapa. Here we saw a number of 
buildings used in connection with the clean- 
ing and preparation of kauri gum procured 
in the neighbourhood. We had met with 
gumfields almost everywhere in our travels, 
extending even to places so far north as 
Parengarenga. At Ahipara a company has 
been formed to work the gum deposits, and 
improved machinery will shortly be at work 
which it is claimed will transform the de- 
posits in their unpromising looking natural 
state into pure gum, The process is the 
washing out of the impurities, and samples 
that we inspected indicated that a valuable 
machine for the purpose had been evolved. 
The extent of the old kauri forests must 
have been extraordinary and their destruc- 
tion ages ago is a subject of profound 
interest. 
We passed through Waimate North, with 
its stretches of fine country, and on to Ohae- 
awal, where we stopped for lunch. Just as 
we came out of Ohaeawal we passed the 
old house of Mr T. C. Williams, with its 
beautifully timbered, park-like meadows. the 
fine old oaks and other English trees form- 
ing a marked contrast to the country 
through which we had passed. From here 
to Kawakawa was a short run of 10 te 12 
miles. Up to that point the roads nad been 
excellent, and there had been but little rain. 
But we were soon to experience a very 
different state of affairs. Rain showers 
became frequent, and all reports that 
reached us agreed that the main road was 
absolutely impassable for motor traffic. We 
were advised to diverge to a route to the 
right, a mile after leaving Kawakawa, 
known as the Ruapekapeka route. This was 
a clay road, and the chains were fitted on to 
the tyres. On the jong pull up the clay 
road of the steep hill, a distance of six miles 
or so, the desperate struggles of the car to 
keep anything like a straight course were 
