Steamers ply between Auckland and Russell, but we had not availed ourselves of this convenience, as we came overland from Whangarei. The Bay of Islands forms a perfect harbour, with shores as beautiful as they are interesting. There are countless bays in which the early Christian missionaries, whalers, and traders sought to break down the adversity
An Old Cannon at Russell
of the natives. Old stone houses and stores stand as relics of these past days, and at Russell practically all the buildings were at one time the homes of early settlers.
Russell is declining in importance, chiefly because it is neglected, and the wooden church and graveyard of thePage 19
