remote spot at which any European resided, and Brunner remained there until the 11th to obtain the services of a mule to pack the food and equipment as far as Lake Roto-iti, which was duly reached on the 13th. Here leave was taken of Fraser, the shepherd who accompanied them to that point, and of all civilised life. The route was now the same as that taken by Messrs. Fox, Heaphy and Brunner in the early part of the year and Lake Rotoroa was reached on the 18th. Here the party suffered very severely from dysentery for some days and remained in the neighbourhood until the 30th, preparing fern root which would be their principal item of food for some time. The day following they set out for the Matukituki, and New Year’s Day, 1847, saw them battling onward. Despite incessant rain and great privations, they reached the foot of that valley on January 16th. At this point the Buller, having received the waters of both Lakes Roto-iti and Rotoroa, and also several tributary streams, becomes a deep and rapid river.
It was here that Mr. Fox had been swept away the preceding year in attempting to ford it, and Brunner and his party found the greatest difficulty in crossing also. Bad weather now set in and it rained continuously, with the result that all their food was spoiled. They were compelled to retrace their steps to the
