Ngamotu August 3rd. 1850. Dear Sir, Yesterday's wreck, and loss of life, found us ample employment; the occasion of which I am unable to give a satisfactory account. The unfortunate woman had been recently married to Daniel Bishop's eldest son, during his stay in Auckland. Her maiden name was Elisa Cook. There was no wind to drive the vessel ashore; and I cannot but think that she was culpably allowed to drift, where she has since left her bones, as well as those of the unfortunate woman - the only person who might have thrown some light upon the occasion of this sad disaster. I am at a loss to describe the horrid, out-of-the-way place, where the vessel was wrecked. You may perhaps know that at the foot of the Paritutu, facing the sea, there is a long, low cavern, called Kaukiroa, guarded by two wings, or rather two projections of rock, forming part of Paritutu, the sides of which are perpendicular. Through this passage, and into the cave, the sea rushes in with great force, and is the cause of that rumbling, thundering, underland noise, so frequently heard. The vessel was in this