Volltext Seite (XML)
300 CHAPTER XXII. Climate of New Zealand—Gales—Departure for the Thames River Rangipukea—Coast of Shouraki—Volcano of Tongarido—Mouth of the Thames —Mr. M‘Askall —Tribe of the Ngatimadous— A missionary chief—Excursion up the Thames—Mr. Bidwell— Tauranga — Roturua—Boiling springs—Lake Taupo—Return to Coromandel Harbour. The climate of New Zealand is, throughout the winter, temperate and bracing. From May till September, during which period I resided in the Thames district, the weather was fine and clear. In the morning, thin pellicles of ice and a little hoar frost were occasionally to be seen, the sure indication of a warm forenoon ; and the nights were uncommonly brilliant and starry. Indeed, in no part of the world, if I except Port Jackson, have I beheld more beautiful moonlight nights than in New Zealand, both in summer and in winter. Once every twelve or fourteen days, however, the serenity of the climate was interrupted by a strong gale from the eastward, during the continuance of which, heavy masses of clouds were borne onwards with great velocity, and the sea rolled into the Frith of the Thames with violence, causing a magnificent and formi dable surf at every exposed part of the coast. The coming on of these gales is known during the calmest