Sunday, December 22nd

A most lovely day—warm yet fresh, such as I never felt in England. The heat here, however strong, is certainly not so relaxing as at home. Service was performed on shore, but I was tempted, for quietness sake, to remain on board, where the Captain performed service. The Psalm for the day was most appropriate to our first Sunday in New Zealand. After service, Wortley and I went in his little boat across the harbour page 92to Pulao Bay^*, a beautiful little land-locked inlet. There was a little level land at the upper end, but all round were high and wall-shaped hills, forming beautiful sites for houses of the villa kind as will start up some day yet. We landed and found the beach strewn with oysters, mussels and cockles. The oysters were sticking fast to the large stones. We gathered about a couple of dozen in five minutes and might easily have loaded the boat with them. We then beached the boat higher up, close by a Maori village, and walked up the hill to Mr Rhodes' station. He was away but his man entertained us with bread, milk & mutton. We walked over his garden, which was luxurious and full of vegetables and fruit trees—everything thriving—Indian corn and tobacco were doing well. The man informed me that they use their dairy chiefly for making cheese. It was very hot—too much sheltered from wind and exposed to the sun. We reached our boat, having been assisted by the Maoris, who came trooping out of their pah^† to do us honour. They had done us a real service, for as we had tied our boat, the tide had come in upon it, lifted it, and thumped it against the shore stones. They saw it bumping, unfastened it and anchored it in the sand safely. We had left a few odd things in the boat besides the paddles and rudder, but nothing was lost. The pah and the people were shockingly ugly and dirty but these traits of honesty and good nature gave me a most favourable impression of their character. Back to the ship at six o'clock. The Captain nervous about his sailors, who had leave ashore, taking leave of indefinite absence: but so it came to pass, they all came safe off. The first party for the Plains, consisting of the page 93Bowens, the Barkers, the Mountforts & the Fishers, are to start to-morrow. The cow was landed safe yesterday in her house, and safely housed in a yard where she is to be fed upon cut grass, hay, &c., till she is able to run on the hills.