DESCRIPTION OF THE HARBOURS, &c., OF NEW ZEALAND.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume I, Issue 10, 24 June 1843, Page 4

DESCRIPTION OF THE HARBOURS, &c., OF NEW ZEALAND.

Charts of New Zealand, published by Wild, of Cnaring-Cross Bast* are very erroneous, and ought, for the safety of navigation, to Be suppressed. The large" glittering map published"by hitn in 1841, is full df ■ferrdr and ill-directions ; a kfge rif er tailed Knowlesly'lJay and river, is laid down on the eastern shore of Cook's Straits, well, calculated to-lead vessels astray 5 whereas, nothing exists^ butalowsantiy shore, and a small bar harbour, called W aD g anu i> very difficult of access, even in the finest of leather, having only about ten or twelve

feet water at high-water' spring-tides, and is exposed to the westward. A river of still greater 'extent is laid down in Foveaux Straits,. "bearing the same name as the former where no opening exists. Of the silly sailing directions laid down in that chart, or map, the following is the most absurd: '"Vessels bound through Cook's Straits, for Cloudy Bay, will save much time and trouble by running through Queen Charlotte's Sound, and out through Tory's Channel;" this is the most extravagant way of making a passage that could be imagined ; "the zig-zag rout through Queen Charlotte's Sound, would probably detain the vessel two or three weeks, as she would require at least two or three tides, and some changes of wind ; whereas by keeping at sea in the Straits, she would require but the same wind and tide, and have only about one third the distance to go oven It is impossible to conceive how any person of the least nautical talent, could lead a publisher into so much error, for it is evident that' some person of that stamp, or professing to be a sailor, must have had something to say in those nonsensical sailing directions. As for the numerous native names that are coined to give the map a colouring, they are out of 'all bounds. Another chart of New Zealand of recent date, has been published, and dedicated to the Hon. Spring Rice, by Lieut. M'Donnell, R.N., but it is even more imperfect than that of Wild ; and is therefore more dangerous to sail by. Having saM thus much upon charts, &c, now extant of New Zealand, we would offer a few remarks for the guidance of strangers in coming from the westward, as the greatest commerce is through Cook's Straits ; we shall commence the entrance in that direction. In coming in with the Straits, in latitude thirty-nine deg. twenty-six mm. south, (39 ° 26' south,) longitude, a hundred and sixty-six deg. sixteen mm. east (166 ° 16' E) a sand-bank with five fathoms, or lea's, with a continuance of broken water for two or three miles, will have to be avoided. Cape Egmont is decidedly the best land-fall in this part of the coast for ships bound through the Straits, as Mount Egmont being of great elevation, may be seen at a distance, particularly in any kind of clear weather, as there are strong tide-rips off the Cape, vessels should give it a berth, of nine or ten leagues, shaping their course for Cape Stevens. A long and deep bight extends from the Cape to Entry Island, without any harbour or ..anchorage fit for' a vessel of any size, in westerly weather, but in easterly winds, and when the coast and rivers have been surveyed, Pa-tea, Wanganui, Rang-a-tu-ghee, and Manuwa tv, will be found small bar-harbours fit for coasters, as those rivers lead to some fine tracts of country, the surveys are much needed. In moderate eastern weather those little ports are frequented by traders from Port Nicholson. Kapiti, or Entry Island, is six miles in length, and four and a half miles from the main land, with whidh it runs nearly parallel, and affords good shßlter from western winds, on a bottom of stiff clay, in eleven to thirteen fathoms. Round the north-east end of the island, the small Sugar Island, about south by west, and a large white sand patch on the main larid, near Wai Koni river east by north, about this position affords good shelter from the prevailing winds ; but it cannot be recommended in southerly gales, although a large vessel rode a very heavy .southerly gale in 1830, with 100 fathoms of hemp cable upon one anchor. In southerly winds it was usual for ships to slip this anchorage, round ,to the northern end of the island ; but since whaling has been established, anchorages to the southern part of the island have been frequented. As Kapiti is a general stopping place for ships bound through' the Straits from the eastward, they should be cautious in leaving the roadstead, and running through the Straits to the westward, after the wind has been blowing strong from that quarter, and coming suddenly round from the-southward, as they will encounter an awkward sea, which may naturally be" expected in such a strong tide-way as the 1 Straitk ; the sudden shift is generally from north-¥dst fo southeast. Oh tide occasion we have known a vessel to sweep her decks. High water, full and change eight hours, flood from the south south-west at two and a half knots per hour. Entry Island is a good landfall for ships running, either from Cape Egmont, Cape Farewell, or Cape Stevens> and is safe to approach within a mile. ' From Kapiti.bound to the southward the line of" coast is without shelter until reaching Fiat Island or .Ma-na, which is at best a confined place, the island not being more than a mile and a half in length, with a strong 1 tide and tide" ripplihgs over an irregular bottom between it ana the main land. Whalers find shelter here during the winter months, as both Ma-na and Kapiti are re-,

sorted to "by the black whale. Inshore of the island of Ma-na is Pera-rua Bay, leading to a small river called by the natives Perariiato, running" through a beautiful space of good country ; the river is serviceable to vessels under ten feet water, but the bay can only be used by those employed in the coasting and whaling establishments. From Ma-na the coast is a bold iron bound shore, .void of shelter until arriving at Port Nicholson. We now return to Oape Egmont, and would direct vessels that when coming in with it' from the westward, and meeting strong southern gales at the mouth of the straits, they will find shelter by hauling under the land, the coast being safe to approach within four or five miles, and il bound to the place formerly called Taranaki, now New Plymouth, they will sail along the coast until they notice the sugar loaf island at Muturua, which may be discovered six or seven leagues-, the summit of Mount Egmont bearing south-east and the sugar loaf island west-south-west at the anchorage, ships may ride at New Plymouth, which is only an Open roadstead with the winds east-north-east easterly to south, with the wind south-west in moderate weather they will have pretty smooth water, but as the line of coast is nearly north-east and south-west, there is no shelter with the western gales. It will be remembered that the indent marked on the charts Teranaka, a few miles southward of Cape Egmont, is not in existence. Proceeding to the northward from New Plymouth, the coast forms a deep bight, with little else than sandy beaches rising to bold land and fine country ; there is only the ! boat harbour of Waitara until arriving at Mo-kou, which, being uhsurveyed, cannot be recommended to vessels drawing more than seven or eight feet water. Proceeding northward, Kafia will be discerned about east-south-east from Garnet Island, which is a small low white island. Spring tides will put about three fathoms oh the bar at high water, which takes place at 9* 30" a. m., and keeping about midway between the heads is the best channel ; the harbour has never been surveyed, although there are several respectable settlers here, and it has great commercial prospects, being convenient io the district of Waipa, which is the most thickly populated in New Zealand. "With strong southern or eastern winds ships may anchor outside the bar for a tide. A few mile's northward of Kafia is the small unsurveyed harbour oF Wangaroa-^est ; it is exposed with the winds Westward Of southwest ; there is seldom more than twelve feet on the bar, the entrance is very narrow, and the tides remarkably strong ; high water full and change at lOh. 10" a. m. Northward from Wangaroa is the harbour of Waikato, which is small and of intricate entrance, it is only useful to vessels under ten feet water, and in the absence of proper survey it cannot be recommended tb anyone unacquainted with the coast. This river runs in a serpentine direction through the most thickly populated part of 'New Zealand, and perhaps the most wealthy in its natural capabilities. It receives several tributary streams, and all like itself of meandering nature, iU ris6 may be traced in the great lake Taupo. From Waikato there is no harbour northward until reaching Port Manukau, its' north head being 37 ° 02' south. The entrance to this place is rather narrow, but contains deep water between the heads, off the mouth Of the harbour there are two sand banks forming three channels, the north channel is considered the best, it runs close in with the north head with seven fathoms in it, indeed all the channels have deep water in them. The banks do not lay parallel with the coast forming a bar, but nearly cross off and on, but in heavy western gales there \is no appearance of channel from seaward. At present there are no charts extant of Manukau, yet several large vessels and strangers to the piace hare entered it in safety ; in strong western gales high water should if possible b ; e the time chosen for taking the harbour^ in case the vessel should be forced in over all. The ebb will be found very strong between the heads, which in light winds may heave the ship athwart the sea ; but with the wind any way off the land; vessels may anchor outside for the tide, and. at low water the position of the sand and channels may be Seen from fhe mast head. The line of coast at an ofiing of six or eight leagues is nearly level table land^ at this distance the harbour mouth is readily discovered with the appearance of an island near the centre. High water full and change 91i. 45' a.m. Port Manukau is by fat,- the best harbour on the west coast, of the north island ; in the first place, there is the best broken water across its entrance ; secondly, the channels have "deep Water in them' when weather will allow them io be taken ; and thirdly, at high water ..most merchant-ves-sels might run in over all in case of necessity. (To be continued.)