The decision come to by the Major and Captain Nias was conveyed to the natives while they were still on board, and whether or not they were seized of all that the ceremony involved, they entered with considerable enthusiasm into the spirit of the occasion. In order to invest the intended declaration with becoming dignity the marines were landed on the little island on which was situated the Horahora-Kakahu _pa_. There a temporary flagstaff was erected and standing at the foot of it at 2 P.M. Major Bunbury read to the assembled people the following Declaration of Sovereignty. DECLARATION OF SOVEREIGNTY OVER TAVAI POENAMMOO (TE WAI-POUNAMU) This Island called Tavai Poenammoo (Te Wai-Pounamu), or Middle Island of New Zealand, situate between the meridian 166° and 174° 30' east of Greenwich, and 40° 30' and 46° 30' south parallel, with all the Bays, Rivers, Harbours, Creeks, etc., in and on the Islands lying off, having been ceded in Sovereignty by the several independent native chiefs to Her Most Gracious Majesty Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the said Island was accordingly taken possession of and formally proclaimed, and Her Majesty's colours hoisted at the _pa_ of Hoikaka (Horahora-Kakahu), Cloudy Bay, under a salute of 21 guns on the 17th day of June 1840, by Captain Joseph Nias, commanding Her Majesty's ship _Herald_, and by Major Thomas Bunbury, K.T.S., 80th Regiment, who were commissioned for that purpose. Done in the presence of us:-- Peter Fisher, Lieutenant, H.M.S. _Herald_; P. L. D. Bean, Master, H.M.S. _Herald_; C. J. Parker, Acting Master, H.M.S. _Beagle_; J. H. Shairp, Mate, H.M.S. _Herald_; Thomas Frazer, Surgeon, H.M.S. _Herald_; James Giles, Purser, H.M.S. _Herald_; C. Hewitt, 1st Lieutenant Marines, H.M.S. _Herald_; F. H. Niblett, 2nd Master, H.M.S. _Herald_; G. F. Munro, Assistant Surgeon, H.M.S. _Herald_; Edmund Webber, Midshipman, H.M.S. _Herald_; John B. Catoo, Midshipman, H.M.S. _Herald_; H. R. Crofton, Midshipman, H.M.S. _Herald_; H. W. Comber, Midshipman, H.M.S. _Herald_; Frederick S. Grey, Volunteer, H.M.S. _Herald_; William Kelly, Gunner, H.M.S. _Herald_; John Caseley, Boatswain, H.M.S. _Herald_; J. Chappels, Carpenter, H.M.S. _Herald_. _Witnesses to Signatures._--Joseph Nias, Captain, H.M.S. _Herald_, Thomas Bunbury, Major, 80th Regiment, charged with diplomatic Mission; Edward Marsh Williams, Interpreter. The reading of the Proclamation done, the Union Jack was run up by Captain Nias, and the guns of the _Herald_ began to boom forth the Royal Salute. The yards of the frigate were manned, and the cheers of those grouped round the flagstaff were answered by those on board the man-of-war, the echoes from the surrounding hills being reinforced by the approving shouts of the natives.