Sunrise offered a very beautiful spectacle; the water was quite unruffled, but the motion communicated by the tides was so great that, although there was not a breath of air stirring, the sea heaved slowly with a grand and majestic motion.

He took pains to show Māori that he observed the terms of the Treaty of Waitangi assuring them that their land rights would be fully recognised. He oversaw the colony during a difficult formative period. Here he planted a huge array of exotic trees and shrubs acclimatised many bird and animal species and amassed a celebrated collection of rare books and manuscripts artworks and curiosities and artefacts from the Māori people over whom he had ruled.

Sir George Grey KCB (14 April 1812 – 19 September 1898) was a soldier explorer Governor of South Australia twice Governor of New Zealand Governor of Cape Colony (South Africa) the 11th Premier of New Zealand and a writer.