MR. TORLESSE'S REPORT UPON THE CANTERBURY BLOCK.

Lyttelton Times, Volume I, Issue 24, 21 June 1851, Page 6

MR. TORLESSE'S REPORT UPON THE CANTERBURY BLOCK.

{Continuedfrom our last.)

The mountains bearing the Canterbury district on the W., are lofty and very beautiful, being generally tipped with snow ; and usually can be seen at a distance of fifty miles with great distinctness through the clear atmosphere of this country. They rise to a height of 5000 or 6000 feet, but it is not difficult to ascend them, and the magnificent panorama which is presented to an observer from their summit, amply repays his exertions. On a fine day, he can trace the features of a fertile country of about three million acres in extent, and his view embraces upwards of 100 miles on either hand, with a romantic and chaotic mass of mountains to the westward, the main ridge of the island, and capped with everlasting snows.

There are some ranges of. low hills lying at the foot of these mountains, such as the Malvern Hills and the spurs leading from Mount Grey. These downs are too rugged for cultivation, though well adapted for grazing purposes, but capable of great improvement by the process to which we are indebted for the present availability of the rest of the open country, namely, burning ; but this ought to be conducted with some judgment and at the proper .season. *■•.■• The beach N. of the promontory is of fine hard sand, which is blown up in hummocks that extend for some distance inland. To the southward it is a steep boulder bank, on which one monster wave, the roll of the Pacific, breaks, and with such force, as to completely wall tip the mouths of such rivers as have not strength of current enough to force their way through. Boats cannot generally be landed anywhere on this coast except in the bays of the promontory and at Double Corner. The two principal rivers in the district are the Courtenay and Cholmondeley. They rise in the mountains which form the back-bone of the Middle Island, and are fed by numerous rivulets and torrents, from the mountains and hills immediately bordering upon the plain to the westward. Soon after emerging from the hills, the Courtenay leceives a small tributary, and then flows on to the sea for upwards of forty miles in a slightly curved and regular course, without any addition except that of the Cam and Puhawrekanui, which enter it close to its mouth. It has a bar, in the channel of which there are at least five feet at low water, and it is navigable for any vessels that can enter as far as a point six miles in a direct line from the coast, and to which the tide backs up the freshwater.

Above this point, canoes only can ascend, and the water flows in several streams through a wide bed of shingle, and between flooded islands which bear a luxuriant vegetation. Its present channel, covered only during floods, is from 1 mile to \% broad, except at a point eight miles from the hills, where the river has forced its way through a barrier of rock, and is contracted to a width of 180 yards, and on its navigable part, where it is about 100 yards wile. From the most palpable traces of old river beds on its south bank, which formerly spread out from the point where the high-banks-cease, aswell as from distinct channels that can be trfued leading into the river Heathcote, showing that its delta must have been abot't ten miles in width, it i

appears that it is gradually wearing for itself a deeper channel through the shingle bed ; probably therefore, in the course of years, it may become navigable, like the upper part of the Lorri, which it somewhat resembles. .

_ The banks of the Courtenay are about 250 feet high where it emerges from the hills, and gradually decrease to about six feet near, the centre of the plain: the water only overflows them on that part of it which is navigable. Here, too, the banks aije of a loose sandy soil, and the course of the rivlr winding, so that at the re-entering angles larg,ifc portions are washed down by heavy floods, and considerable erosion of the banks takes place where the course is straight, and they are equally steep on both sides. At times, masses of several torrs weight fall into the water with a crash, and within the last two years great changes in this part of its course have been observed.

The Courtenay is subject to heavy floods, which render the river unfordablefor some days, but their extent can he accurately calculated upon by an observer of the weather. These are caused by rain that falls during N.W. weather in the mountains, and melted snow; its waters are not ssnsibly affected by the rains that fall on the lower levels and swell the other streams. It is most liable to floods during the spring and autumn; as at spring time the snows of the winter are melted from the mountains by the approach of summer heat, and in the autumn the N.W. winds which prevail at that season, and are besides rainy among- the hills, melt the snows which are deposited by the S. W. winds that succeed the former. There are a few occasional floods during the summer time, but none whatever in the winter months. At time of floods the water is very thick, and of a milky colour, owing to the washing from the chalk-like soil of the hills. Its current is rapid, but decreases in force as the river approaches the sea. At ordinary times, there are from two to three feet of water on the fords, and in crossing it on horseback, the traveller should be careful to avoid the quicksands, which lie as traps among the shingle, but are apparent enough to be of little danger.

The river can be bridged over where it is navigable, and at the gorge, eight miles from the hills ; but, from the force of the current, and looseness of foundation, the attempt to_ form a bridge over elsewhere would be impracticable. With the assistance of American experience and enterprise, timber might be rafted down from the forest on its banks near the hills, of which a considerable quantity is brought down by natural causes, and deposited on the banks in large masses. At about eight miles from the coast, a bed of peat and perfect trunks of trees, crop out on its banks. Unfortunately, there has been deposited above these a thick layer of soil, so that the fact is only interesting to a geologist, unless it lead to a more minute examination of the country, with a view of supplying fuel for the neighbourhood. The Cholmoudely is very similar to the Courtenay—but it is not navigable, and as it cuts through a high ridge of the plain, the banks are high throughout its course. It has also a similar gorge, near which the banks are very high, and formed of a series of steps or plateaux which are very remarkable in appearance. Excepting the small portion of water communication which the Courtenay affords, both these rivers may be called huge nuisances, as they form barriers in the country without possessing any counterbalancing advantages: and most of the large rivers of the East Coast of the Middle Island resemble them in their general features.

The rivers of this district next to be mentioned are the Ashley, Ashburton, Selvyyn, and Fanjuhar. They rise in the hills immediately bordering on the plain, from which they receive numerous tributaries, but are only liable to swell during the winter months. Like the larger rivers, they wind their way down a wide shingle bed, -which, however, does not offer much obstacle to free communication through the country. The Selwyn debouches into Lake Ellesmere, and is deep for a short distance, and the Ashley may be entered by boats at some seasons ; but, otherwise these rivers of the second class in the district are of no use for any navigable; purpose. Next in order are the Avon, Heathcote, Cam, Pretourekaunui, and Halsewell. These, though insignificant in size, are most important, as they afford good water communication through the most fertile parts of the settlement, besides abundant water power above their navigable part. They receive several streamlets near their source, which is about ten miles from the coast: and their water is remarkably pure, having filtered through upwards of forty miles of gravel, until they receive the drainage of swampy tracts. The other streams of the district are hardly worthy of notice; being merely useful as boundaries of properties and for drinking. A few miles below its source the Eyre is a dry bed, its waters losing themselves in the gravel: and this is the case with si>J?l§_9-(U!-ieA!-uer streams'during the heat of summer, when water can only be found in pools wherp there are more retentive strata. '•■'■ ■ i (To be continued.)