in a position to make geological deductions, I had at the same time to get up the topography, for all that was set down in the maps of the interior had not been taken from regular hydrographic data, but were mere jottings, which had been laid down from the hasty and necessarily imperfect sketches which travelling missionaries, public officers, and other casual travellers had brought with them. The imperfect charts which the Colonial Government had supplied me with, to guide me in pushing to the eastward, only gave the inhabited points along the coast, and even a few miles distant from Auckland were so much waste paper. To remedy this I had recourse, from the very commencement, to a system of triangulation, by means of an Azimuth compass, based upon the nautical survey of the coast made by Capt. Drury, which I prosecuted, with the invaluable assistance of Capt. Drummond Hay, from the west coast to the east. The natives, who, in their profound distrust of the government land speculations, always threw every possible obstacle in the way of the land-surveyors and provincial engineers, so soon as they made their appearance, theodolite in hand, on any land not yet purchased, never once disturbed us. They knew I was a stranger, who was only going to stay a few months in the country, and accordingly made it a point of honour that I should carry home with me as high an opinion as possible of the country. At every remarkable point the chiefs stationed guides, and accompanied me to the summits of the mountains, whence I made my observations, and with great readiness
furnished me with the name of every hill and stream visible, as well as the valleys and lakes within sight, and explained in their own way the geography of the district. On my side I collected carefully all the information I could glean respecting the natives, and in this fashion I believe I have rescued from oblivion a number of beautiful and highly-characteristic names. The configuration of the soil I always sketched off on the spot, and thus brought away from my tour materials sufficient to enable me to prepare during my stay in Auckland a topographical chart of the southern part of the island on a large scale, reserving for more mature consideration, at a future day, the preparation of a carefully revised edition of this provisional map.
"The barometrical observations made during this tour were reduced by comparison with those of the Royal Engineer's Observatory at Auckland, the tables used in which were obligingly put at my disposal by Colonel Mould, R.E.
"There are also to be noticed an immense number of drawings and photographs, taken during the Expedition, as also some very valuable landscape sketches, made for me by Mr. Heaphy.
"There still remained, however, a most interesting object for examination in the vicinity of Auckland, namely, the Cape Colville peninsula on the eastern shores of Hauraki Bay. The discovery of gold in Coromandel Harbour on this coast, had some years before created great excitement. I devoted a few days of fine weather in the month of June to
visiting these gold-fields; a projected visit to the copper-mines of Great Barrier Island, and the Island of Kawau, had unfortunately to be abandoned, owing to bad weather.
"With this, the period of my stay at Auckland was drawing to a close. At the request of the members of the Mechanics' Institute, I delivered on the 24th June, shortly before my departure, a lecture in the hall of the society, upon the geological capabilities of the province, in which I threw together the chief results of my investigations, and illustrated them by means of roughly-executed charts, plans, sketches, and photographs. As I had neither time nor complete material for a more extended report, it was on this lecture that Government relied for an account of my various operations. The arrangement and careful packing of the collections, and the drawing the maps, delayed my departure for some weeks, and after my days of labour followed others, still more impossible to forget, of agreeable society and festive meetings, ere I could tear myself away from the inhabitants of Auckland. Thousands of mementos of New Zealand were thrust into my hands. My collections comprised treasures of all sorts, such as must for ever engrave on my memory the forests and mountains of New Zealand. But I had yet again to thank the good people of Auckland for a last souvenir of their kindly feeling and generosity to myself. On the 24th July I was invited to a banquet in the name of the province, at which I was presented, in terms far too
flattering, with an address,[57] accompanied by an elegant and valuable testimonial.
"Unfortunately, owing to want of time, I could not respond to the cordial invitation extended to me to make a lengthened stay, accompanied by further surveys of Wellington and New Plymouth (Province of Taranaki), and Ahuhiri (Province of Hawke's Bay). So, too, I was compelled gratefully to decline a kind invitation from the Governor to accompany him on an expedition to the Southern Island, on board H.M.'s frigate Iris, preferring to accept a previous invitation from the Superintendent of the Province of Nelson, as a visit to Middle Island seemed of special importance, however short my stay. It not alone satisfied me of the justice of the name assigned to Nelson, of being the 'Garden of New Zealand,' but also kept me fully occupied in examining its variety of mineral treasures, such as copper, gold, coal, &c., which have made the province the chief mineral and metalliferous district of New Zealand. And how was it possible for me to come back to Europe without having seen the splendid chain of the Southern Alps, and their summits crowned with perpetual snow?
"Accordingly, on 28th July, I embarked on board the steamer Lord Ashley, bound for Cook's Straits. The voyage gave me the opportunity, as the vessel called at Nelson and Wellington both (anchoring at the latter), before entering