noon
In the cave they found a ready-garnered store of dried sea-weed , which formed a convenient couch ; for fire , they lighted some wood near the mouth of the cavern , and dried themselves as well as they could . John hoped that the duration of this deluge of rain would be in an inverse ratio to its violence , but he was doomed to disappointment . Hours passed without any abatement of its fury . Toward noon the wind freshened , and increased the force of the storm . The most patient of men would have rebelled at such an untoward incident ; but what could be done ; without any vehicle , they could not brave such a tempest ; and , after all , unless the natives appeared on the scene , a delay of twelve hours was not so much consequence , as the journey to Auckland was only a matter of a few days . During this involuntary halt , the conversation turned on the incidents of the New Zealand war . But to understand and appreciate the critical position into which these MACQUARIE passengers were thrown , something ought to be known of the history of the struggle which had deluged the island of Ika-na-Mani with blood .