CHAPTER IV
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CHAPTER IV.
Kapiti, or Entry Island. -- Mana, or Table Island.
Kapiti--the "Entry Island" of Captain Cook---stretches from north to south in an irregular and somewhat oval shape. It consists of a ridge of hills, rising in some places to the height of 600 feet above the level of the sea, with some of its peaks of a pyramidical form. These hills descend abruptly to the westward and eastward, forming a rocky and nearly inaccessible shore throughout the greater part of its extent; they are intersected by deep ravines, through which small rivulets descend towards the sea-shore. At the southern extremity the hills are more undulating, and their ascent not so steep; and here the natives have their plantations. At the north-east end of the island the rock has been wasted and broken by the violence of the waves; and its debris, mixed with sand, vegetable mould, and pebbles of pumice-stone, of different colours, brought down by the Wanganui river from the active volcano Tongariro, in the northern island, forms an alluvium which girds the north-east end for about three miles, and is in some parts half a mile broad. In this beach there is a lagoon about a mile in circumference, and only separated from the sea by a
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ENTRY ISLAND.
narrow strip of land. The water is brackish, in consequence of the sea, during heavy gales, being driven into it. The surrounding ground is somewhat marshy, and is covered with Phormium tenax, several kinds of rushes, the manuka (which was, at the time of my visit, in full flower), and an orchidaceous plant with fine flesh-coloured blossoms. The natives are acquainted with the farinaceous quality of the roots of this plant, and often eat them.
Kapiti is about twenty-five miles in circumference. It belongs to the transition formation, and contains much ancient trap-rock: clay-slate rocks and grey-wacke are the most common.
The whole island is covered with a very vigorous vegetation, mostly of trees, amongst which are fine timber-trees, especially the rata, kahikatea, and rimu. In the ravines and on the top of the hills there is a rich vegetable mould, where the plantations of potatoes, cabbage, turnips, and Indian-corn thrive well. Coarse grass of several kinds is found in some spots, affording, with the green bushes, food for a few head of cattle which were introduced into the island some years ago.
From the limited extent of this island, as well as from its formation, it is of small agricultural or commercial importance. It perhaps, however, deserves attention in a military point of view; and, together with the three rocky islands at its south end, has for many years been a very important place
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WHALING STATIONS.
for the chase of the black whale. In 1839 the produce of the establishments on these islands was 466 tuns of oil and thirty tons of whalebone, obtained by twenty-three boats; of which six belonged to the station on Evans's Island; two to that on Mayhew's, or Rauparaha's Island; eight to two other stations at Kapiti; and seven to two stations abreast of Mana. To this quantity must be added the tonguer's oil, so called from the man who "cuts-in the whale," for which he is allowed the oil of the tongue, of the heart, and of the intestines, for his own benefit. Including this, the whole quantity of oil may be stated at 500 imperial tuns. The management of these establishments, with the exception of that of Mr. Evans, has been on a very bad footing, as the whalers were paid in ardent spirits and bad slops, which were charged to them at exorbitant prices. Mr. Evans, who finds his men in everything, and pays them wages according to the quantity of oil they get, furnished one half of the above quantity of oil, and his establishment is in by far the best order. When I was on his island a whale was seen several miles off: in less than a minute several boats were launched and in full chase. Like all shore-whaling, however, that of Kapiti is on the decline, and I do not suppose that the establishment will be kept up much longer.
The productions of the vegetable and animal kingdom in Kapiti are precisely the same as those found on the mainland.
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LAND-SHARKS.
I have already remarked that there are a few head of cattle upon the island. They thrive well, and are claimed partly by Rauparaha, partly by E Hiko, to whom they were given as a present, or in charge, by Mr. Cooper of Sydney. Owing to the petty feuds amongst these people, and occasional sales to other parties, the stock has not increased, although there are pasture-grounds and food for a much larger number.
Kapiti and the adjacent islands have been sold over and over again to different parties, and spots may be found to which half a dozen different persons lay claim. The chiefs sell their land as many times as they can, still finding hungry sharks ready to purchase, though not very liberal in their offers, who establish by these means some shadow of a claim. A future investigation into the land-titles will afford much work and profit to the lawyers.
Fish of many kinds is taken at Kapiti in great abundance, and will become one day an important article of commerce. We caught with the sieve large quantities of a curious fish, belonging to the genus Balistes, about a foot long, and with a rough parchment-like skin of a brownish colour, which our carpenter used in the place of sand-paper. The first ray of the dorsal fin moves in a curiously-formed joint, and the sailors ascribed to it a poisonous quality. The fish itself afforded a very wholesome and agreeable food. Herrings, mackerels, gurnets, flatfish, several kinds of skate, and a variety of other fish, may be caught here in any quantity.
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MOTU NARARA--TAURAMORIA.
To the eastward of the southern end of Kapiti is the small island of Motu Narara. It is about three-quarters of a mile in circumference, and composed of soft yellow slate, which strikes from north-east to south-west, and dips to the south-east at an angle of about forty-five degrees. The vegetation is scanty, and confined to a few bushes of flax, or Euphorbium, and a species of Linum with blue flowers. On the north of this rocky islet is a sandy beach, on which stand the houses of the Europeans employed in whaling, and several huts of the natives.
This island is separated only by a narrow channel from Kapiti, and opposite to it lies a little valley, where a rivulet has hollowed out a bed in a hard siliceous rock overlaid by clay-slate. At the outlet of the rivulet is a native village. The water in the channel is deep enough for a small vessel.
Motu Narara possesses a spring of fresh water close to the sea-shore: it is, however, so small, that the natives generally procure their supplies from Kapiti.
Separated from this island by a narrow and shallow channel, lies Tauramoria, a barren hilly island, little more than a mile in circumference. It consists of clay-slate, and its shape is that of an obtuse cone. On its north-west side are some native huts; amongst them that of Rauparaha: and on the southeast side is a whaling establishment. All these habitations stand on a narrow rocky beach which girds the island.
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TABLE ISLAND.
To the northward is Evans's Island, the smallest of all, and a mere bare rock, just large enough to contain the huts of the whalers; but it is the most eligible place for that business.
By these islands and the southern shore of Kapiti a roadstead is formed, sheltered from the prevailing north-west winds by Kapiti, and from the southeast winds by the three islets, and affording a safe anchorage for vessels. A ship coming from the northward, and passing between the mainland and Kapiti, can approach E Hiko's Island within about half a mile, taking care to keep clear of a reef near Evans's Island; or may enter from the southward between Mayhew's and Evans's Islands in a clear channel.
The island of Mana, situated twenty miles to the southward of Kapiti, was called by Captain Cook Table Island, from its appearance. It is about three miles in circumference, and is exactly opposite to the outlet of the Pararua River, at the distance of about a mile. Where trees formerly grew, in the hollows and indentations of the land, the soil is good; the rest is covered by fern, native and artificial grasses, and clover, which are all that can grow in the thin layer of vegetable earth that scarcely covers the yellow schistous clay of which the island consists. But this vegetation is suited for the pasture of sheep, of which there are about 200 on the island, in very good condition. From this fact we may conclude that the hills of the same appearance around Port Nicholson are equally well
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MANA.
adapted for feeding sheep. Besides these sheep the island yields food to about thirty head of cattle, which were likewise in capital condition, and to some horses. Mana was sold some years ago to a Mr. Bell, who resold it to a Mr. Petersen in Sydney, under whom it was held by a German farmer. During our stay, however, it was the subject of a lawsuit, and was actually in the hands of two claimants, each of whom tried to ruin the other by selling the stock. The roadstead of Mana is a very bad one, being open to the south-east winds, with a strong tide setting in.
During the month of October the weather was very moderate. The utmost daily range of the thermometer was between 52 deg. and 67 deg. Fahrenheit, when the wind blew from the N.W. or N.E. On the 13th and 19th, the wind being from the S.E., the thermometer at eight in the morning indicated 50 deg., and did not rise above 53 deg. as long as the gale lasted. From the 20th to the 31st we had very strong breezes with frequent squalls from the N.W. The thermometer during that time never rose above 60 deg., and never fell lower than 56 deg.. At night the temperature was seldom more than three or four degrees lower than in the day. In a word, the climate during this month was as moderate as any European could desire. Rains were frequent; and almost continual winds kept the air pure and fresh.
