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Old Westland

within the southern boundary of Westland. As showing this to be so, the Rev. Richard Taylor, in his book, “New Zealand and its Inhabitants,” says: “From the evidence of a person who was formerly engaged in sealing at Dusky Bay, as far back as the year 1823, it appears that from 1826 to 1827 there was an almost constant succession of earthquakes, some of which were sufficiently violent to throw men down. At times he and his party, who then resided on a small island, were so alarmed lest it should be submerged that they put out to sea. There, however, they found no safety, but such was the flux and reflux of the ocean, that they were in the greatest danger of being swamped, and were thankful to get on shore again. The sealers were accustomed to visit a small cove called the jail, which was a most suitable place for anchorage, being well sheltered with lofty cliffs on every side, and having deep water in it close to the shore, so that they could step out from the rocks to their boats. It was situated about eighty miles to the north of Dusky Bay. After the earthquakes the locality was completely altered; the sea had so entirely retired from the cove that it was dry land. Beyond Cascade Point the whole coast presented a most shattered appearance, so much so that its former state could scarcely be recognised; large masses of the mountains had fallen, and in many places the trees might be seen under the water.”