FISH-POND.—CASCADES OF WAIRUKU. 365visit to a large fish-pond, of which the creek or river isthe outlet. It is a pretty sheet of water in its naturalstate, excepting strong stone dams, to prevent the escapeof the fish. These are tabu to all but high chiefs; andno one of rank having lived here lately, the whole pondis literally alive with the finest of mullet; the surface ofthe water is almost in a constant ripple from theirmotions, and hundreds can be taken at any time by asingle cast of a small net. Expressing our astonish-ment at the sight, Sir Joseph Banks, * who, from under-standing and speaking some English , has been appointedby her majesty interpreter, caterer, gentleman in wait-ing, &c. to Lord Byron , very seriously says, “ O dis noting,sir—noting—I see him before now;—he so full fish, Isee one man, he fall backwards in him, he no sink at ail!”

After satisfying our curiosity here, we rowed down thecreek and across the bay, to another stream on thewestern side of the harbour, called Wairuku —river ofdestruction —where the ships get their water. The en-trance of this river is highly romantic and beautiful, thebanks being precipitous and rocky, and covered with avariety of vegetation. About a hundred yards above thebeach, it opens into a still deep basin, encircled by highcliffs. Into this basin the whole stream is projected bytwo cascades, the upper about twenty feet, and the lowerabout eight feet, both rushing over their respective ledgesof rock in unbroken sheets. A rude bridge crosses thestream just above the falls ; and it is a favourite amuse-ment of the natives to plunge from it, or from the adjoining rocks, into the rapids, and pass head foremost* A native so called.

2 s 2