IMPORTANT DISCOVERY OF AN EASY PASS TO THE WEST COAST.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1086, 8 April 1863, Page 2

IMPORTANT DISCOVERY OF AN EASY PASS TO THE WEST COAST.

We re-publish an account of the discovery of a new pass to the West Coast, by Dr. Haast. As it intimately concerns the future of this province, we conceive that it will be of sufficient interest to gratify our English readers.

Makarora Bush, March 3rd, 1863.

Sir, —I have the honor to communicate to you that I returned last night safely with my whole party from my expedition to the West Coast to this our starting point, having reached the sea on the 20th of February. As without doubt it will interest you to become acquainted as soon as possible with the natural features of the country traversed bv me, till at present entirely unknown, I beg to offer you the following preliminary report before continuing my researches in another direction.

From Messrs. Wilkin and Thompson's station on the Molyneux, I travelled along the shore of Lake Wanaka, as far as the station of Messrs. Stuart, Kinross and Co. Here Mr. W. Young, assistant surveyor, joined me as topographical assistant, who at my request had been attached to me for this expedition by the chief surveyor. Having ascertained that it would be impossible to continue my journey overland to the head of the lake with my horses, I availed myself of the kindness of Mr. H. S. Thompson, partner of the said firm, who placed a boat at my disposal during my stay in this part of the country. In order better to understand what I have to say in the sequel, it will be necessary to give a general outline of the features of Lake Wanaka, and of the rivers by which it is formed. This beautiful lake, about twenty-seven (27) miles long, and on the average two and a-half (2£) miles broad, much indented, and of which the upper portion, for a distance of two and a-half miles lies in our province, is formed by a tine river, to which the Maori name of Makarora has been preserved. This fine lake, quite different by its low position and other features, from our other alpine lakes, has also the peculiarity that the river at its entrance, has not formed any extensive swamps; wellgrassed land exists reaching to the very margin of the water, which, had we no other proof, would be alone evidence of its great depth. There is no doubt that it lies equally in the remarkable rent or fissure in which, in the province of Otago, the Molyneux flows, being in fact its continuation to the north.

The Makarora, which during its whole course runs S.S.W.,* is joined three miles above its entrance into the lake by another main branch, which I called the ' Wilkin,' containing about an equal amount of water as the former river, above its junction. The valley of the Wilkin, coming from the central chain, for several miles runs nearly in a W. and E. direction, it then divides into several valleys, of which the most, southerly seems to come from the northern continuation of Mount Aspiring or its neighborhood, and the most northerly to keep a S.E. by S. direction.

Having ascertained in former years from the West Coast Maories, that a pass exists at the head of Lake Wanaka, by which former generations had travelled across the island, but not being able to gather anything positive about this road from them, I went on my journey up to the Waitemate bush, to consult an old Maori on the subject, with which I was informed he was well acquainted. From him I heard that the track lay by this latter branch of the Wilkin, and that it would bring me in two days to the mouth of the Awarua river, on the West Coast; but when on the spot, and examining the physical features of the country, I was led to the conclusion that there was some error in his description. Observing at the same time that the main chain at the head of the Makarora was singularly broken, I thought that the remarkable rent, in which also the Makarora was flowing, might possibly continue through the central chain, 1 determined therefore to cross the alps at the head of the Makarora, and the result has shown that my anticipations have been verified. We tracked our boat to the Makarora bush, a distance of seven miles from the lake, and started from there carrying with us four weeks provisions on our backs. The valley of the Makarora, for about twelve miles, is one and a-half miles broad on the average ; to the foot of the mountains the vegetation consists of grass and scrub, whilst the rugged mountains on both sides are clothed with forest from their base to an altitude of 4500 feet, above which the rocky pinacles rise abruptly. On ascending the river further, the deltas of two opposite tributaries meet, covered with forest, and through which the river pursues its winding course. For two miles this vegetation prevails, at which distance another important stream joins the main river from the east; the valley opens again, and a flat of about four miles long occurs, covered with grass, which offered us good travelling ground. Above the termination of this open spot, the base of the mountains on both sides approach nearer and nearer till at a distance of one and a-half miles, they form a gorge, the river rushing between immense blocks of rocks, which lie scattered in its channel, and on the mountain sides. Twenty miles above the mouth of the Makarora it enters the fissure coming from the east, in a deep chasm of vertical cliffs from the central chain, showing by its semi-opaque bluish color its glacial origin ; but the rent still continues in the same direction, a tributary which I have 'fish stream' flowing through it, joining the Makarora, at the entrance of the latter. After travelling half a mile, we found it impossible to proceed up the bed of this stream, vertical cliffs rising abruptly from the edge of the water, which falls down over immense rocks. We were, therefore, obliged to ascend to a considerable altitude on its eastern bank, and to continue our journey through dense bush, along the steep sides of the mountains. After travelling for three miles, partly over very rugged ground, we again met the ' fish stream' coming from the west, and still flowing in a deep and rocky channel; but observing still the opening before us, we again went forward in the same direction, and arrived in another mile on the bank of a very small watercourse, which we followed for about a mile. Observing that its banks consisted o debris about fifteen feet high, sloping as it seemed to me to the north, I ascended and found to my great satisfaction that the level of the swampy forest had really a slight fall in that direction; soon the small wSpd 8 e< r. n the s P h agnum (swamp moss) increased ; a small watercourse was formed, which ran in a northerly direction, and thus a most remarkable pass was found, which in a chain of such magnitude as the Southern Alps of New Zealand, and where no break or even available saddle occurs during their course north of this point in our urovince, is probably without parallel in the known world. After three observations on this pass, calculating the average stand of the barometer at the sea level, and the altitude of Lake Wanaka (974 feet), as given by M'Kerrow of Otago, with which my own observations closely correspond, the altitude of the pass is 1612 feet above the level of the sea, or 638 feet above lake Wanaka. As before stated there is, properly speaking, no saddle over which a traveller has to go, being only obliged to cross from one watercourse to another, ascending a bank of about 15 feet of loose shingle thrown across the rent, and arriving on a flat of very small slope, covered with open forest, which in half a mile brings him to another small watercourse flowing north. I may here add that at this point the mountains on both sides reach their highest elevation, being covered with perpetual snow, and glaciers of large extent. This singular break in the central chain accounts, in a great measure, for the low position of Lake Wanaka, and its fine and peculiar climate, notwithstanding there is evidence that in the glacial period glaciers extended also to this lake, as shown by the high sloping terraces in the Makarora, cut in the mountain sides to

* All the courses of rivers, &c., are calculated from the true north, if not stated otherwise.

an altitude of at least five thousand (5,000) feet, besides many other indications. On the evening of January 24th we reached a larger stream, which I named the "Leading Stream," coming from the west, being soon joined by several tributaries from the east. For three miles we followed this stream, flowing in a N.N.E. direction through a comparatively open valley, with occasional small patches of grass on its sides, and arrived at its junction with a larger stream of glacial origin of the size of the Makarora, which came from the eastern central chain, and to which, after your direction, I gave my name. Next day, accompanied by Mr. Young, I ascended the mountain, which I named Mount Brewster, as a topographical station, and for geological examination, the glaciers of which give rise to the Haast,

Makarora, and Hunter, the latter forming the heai

waters of Lake Hawea. I may here state that all glaciers, so far as 1 have observed them, on the western side of the Alps, belong to the second order, the mountain sides being very abrupt, and the valleys short and steep. On the slopes of Mount Brewster, from an altitude of about six thousand (6,000) feet, we had a most magnificent and extensive view over the Alps, from Lake Wanaka, in the south, to the Moorhouse range in the north-east, as far as the coast ranges, and it was with no little pleasure that I recognised many peaks in the central chains, which I had observed near the sources of the rivers forming Lakes Ohou and Pukaki, being thus enabled to connect last year's survey with the present. It became evident to me, looking over the large extent of country drained, that the river before it reaches the west coast must be very considerable, and another peculiar feature concerning the Alps was revealed, to which I shall devote a few words. From the sources of the Rakaia to the southern termination of the Moorhouse range, the Alps consist of one main chain, sending off divergent chains, which become gradually lower, but here a change occurs : at the southern end of the Moorhouse range the Alps divide into two almost equal chains, of which the eastern one extends along the western bank of the Hopkins to Mount Ward, from where it turns in a S.W. by W. direction towards Mount Brewster. On the western side of the fissure, the continuation of Mount Brewster is to be found in Mount Stuart on the western side of the Makarora. The western chain of the Alps commence also at the end of the Moorhouse range, which latter, near the sources of the Hopkins, loses considerably in altitude, but afterwards rises again to a great height, being formed by a magnificent range, which I call tire " Gray" range. It runs in a S.W. direction till it is broken through by the main river after the junction of the Clarke, the broad valley of the latter occupying the space or basin between these two Alpine chains. After this second break, on the left side of the river, the Alps again rise to a considerable altitude, covered with perpetual snow, and which, as it seemed, united again at Mount Stuart, running down in one longitudinal chain towards Mount Aspiring, the southern point of our boundary, but it is, notwithstanding, true that the Alps, south of the Moorfrouse range, begin to lose their continuity, being broken in sharp pyramidical peaks, seldom attaining an altitude of 10,000 feet, with deep, but generally inaccessible saddles between them.

When returning, on the evening of the 26th January, from our mountain ascent, heavy rain set in, which continued almost without intermission till February 13th, and during which time, under many difficulties', we were able to advance only eleven miles down the river, watching a favorable opportunity when the river fell to cross from one side to the other, when necessary. This part of our journey occurred unfortunately at the same time when we crossed the most inaccessible part of our route, being, in fact, the most rugged piece of New Zealand ground over which, during my long wanderings, I ever passed before.

From the junction of the leading stream with the Haast, the valley of the latter is still so broad, and the fall of the water comparatively slight, that rapids are formed, allowing us to follow the river bed, crossing and re-crossing from side to side, but then it seems as if the river had cut across the range, both mountain sides presenting exceedingly steep slopes, whilst the river at the same time continues to flow in a succession of falls and cataracts, which continue for about six miles. ()n both sides of the river the rocks rise perpendicularly, and the small channel through which the water finds its way is still encumbered by enormous rocks, often several hundred tons in weight, amongst and over which the river falls roaring and foaming. At the same time the mountain sides, which we were continually obliged to ascend and descend, for many hundred feet, were partly covered with blocks of rock of equal magnitude. The large fissures between them, are often overgrown with moss and roots, the latter sometimes rotten, so that a hasty step throws the heedless between the fissures, giving him great trouble to extricate himself; no level place of sufficient size to pitch our tent was here to be found, either on the hill side or in the river bed, except in places liable to be flooded, as to our discomfiture we found out, on two occasions during the night. Amongst other curious places, we were camped for eight days under an enormous overhanging rock, with a vertical precipice of one hundred and fifty feet near us, and the thundering and deafening roar of the swollen main river forming here a large fall as its companion.

The general direction of the river after its entrance into the fissure is for five miles N.N.W.; after which it is joined by another river of considerable size, which I have named the 'Wills,' coming from a W.S.W. course from Mount Ward. As it was impossible to cross this river even in fine weather, being very deep, we had to watch our opportunity to cross to the left bank of the main river, above the junction of the Wills. From this point we travelled for six and a half miles in a N. W. direction: steep mountain sides, vertical cliffs, waterfalls and cataracts, enlarged by the heavy fresh, being still the usual features of the country. But we could already observe that we came to lower regions: totara, rimu, matai (black pine), often of fine size, became mixed with the fagus (black birch) forest, which hitherto, without intermission, clothed the mountain sides. Fern trees soon made their appearance, forming small groves in the deep moist valleys, and which, considering we were still in the heart of the Alps, gave a strange aspect to the scenery around us.

At last we left this region of rocks, precipices and cascades behind us, and a fine river entered from the W.S.W , which I called the ' Burke.' We reached the confluence of it on the evening of Feb. 12; fine weather set in at last, and the barometer showed me that we were only 250 to 300 feet above the sea level. The river Burke is broad and deep, and has a slow course at its junction; the main river the fall of which is more rapid, having as at the Wills thrown a bar across its entrance, by which the level of these tributaries has been raised.

From this spot a most magnificent view over the southern termination of the distant Moorhouse and Gray ranges was obtained—the more beautiful, as the ranges on both sides of the valley were covered as heretofore to an altitude of 4500 feet with forest, and the foreground consisted of fine pine trees, which lower down the valley grew on the banks of the main river.

It was only on the morning of February 14 that we were able to continue our journey: the Burke, although little flooded, we found to be impassable; and the main river above its junction, after several trials we also found still too high to be crossed; we had just finished making a catainoran of dead trees to cross the Burke—no flax sticks being obtainable to make a mokihi—when at last the falling of the main river allowed us to cross safely. After the junction of the Burke the course changes again, the river running for seven miles in a N.E. direction, the valley opens more, the fall of the water is much less, offering good fords, so as to allow us to use the shingle banks to travel on. Now and then small grass patches of a few acres in extent appear. It was towards the middle of the day when we observed that the river, before its junction with another large river, viz the 'Clarke,' set against its left bank, keeping close under vertical cliffs to this junction and that afterwards the united waters continued to flow in the same way. I determined therefore to cross this important river above the junction; but when we came to its shingle bed, which is'here about one and a half miles broad, we found the water of the first branch much discolored. The day

being hot and the cloudless, I mistook this occurrence for the usual discoloring of a glacial stream near its source from the effects of a hot day. We therefore proceeded, and, after some difficulty, found a ford over this first branch; but branch after branch succeeded, each one larger than the former, and it was near evening, when we were trying to cross the last branch, which proved to be the largest. Several times we failed, but at last succeeded Although we crossed in the Maori fashion, with a long pole between us, two of my party were washed away when near the opposite bank, and had to swim to shore with their loads on their backs. Had I not taken the precaution to have none but experienced swimmers in my party, a sad accident might here have happened. As I afterwards discovered, the river at our first crossing had been still in a state of fresh ; and although oil returning from the west coast we found the water low and clear, the river, according to marks set, having fallen considerably, we had still to cross it in five branches, some of them very deep, broad, and swift. The size of this important river, which drains the

Southern Alps, from opposite the Muller glacier to the N.W. slopes of Mount Ward is at least equal to that of the Rakaia in the plains. Its

valley is about two miles broad, which, six miles above the junction, is divided into two main branches.

On its western bank a fine grass flat occurs, about one thousand acres in extent, where we camped, and which is a real oasis in this constant wilderness of forest. This is without doubt the open grass country of which some old Maoris spoke to me as existing in the interior, judging its value not by its extent but by the great number of wekas (wood-hens) and lcakapos (ground parrots) which up to the time of our arrival had here enjoyed an undisturbed existence, and which constitutes this spot a true Maori Elysium.

After travelling about two miles over this open grass flat we again arrived on the bank of the river below the junction, being here divided into two branches. Although the mountains on both sides continued to be very high and covered with snow, from which numerous waterfalls descend, the river has now a much slower course, being when flowing in one stream, three hundred to four hundred feet broad, and of the size of the Molyneux. Here all the signs of the great floods were visible which had occurred lately, detaining us so long in the gorges. Not only were all the rapids and shingle islands covered with masses of drift trees, many of them having still their green foliage, but also along the sides of the river quicksands were prevalent, which sometimes gave us no little trouble. At many places, on emerging from the forest on a shingle reach, we were greatly disappointed to find that, after travelling a quarter of the distance over which they extended, we found deep back waters, with quicksands returning so far upwards from the next point, obliging us to return to the forest along the mountain sides, where travelling is very difficult.

The river after the junction of the 'Clarke' runs for about nine miles in a W.N.W. direction, when it is joined by a large mountain torrent, coming down in a cataract from the western chain. The banks of the river sometimes extending level for half a mile to the foot of the mountains, are generally covered with dense forest, in which the rimu rivals in magnitude the still prevailing black birch. But small patches of open scrub occur also, which offer occasionally better travelling ground ; the soil on many spots is very good, and the river from the junction of the Clarke to its mouth favourable for rafting. Now and then a rocky point, the outrunning spurs of the mountains, reaches the river, against which the water sets, and and which we had to climb over, but generally a level travelling ground was prevalent. Having passed this important mountain torrent, which in the smallest fresh would be uncrossable, the river again changes its direction and runs for six and ahalf miles S.S.W. The forest still continuing to be open, we pursued our way, in splendid weather, till we arrived at a point where the river changes its course to the N.W. We had some trouble to cross this point, rising almost vertically from the water's edge to a great altitude, but having conquered this difficulty, we were gratified to observe that the mountains gradually decreased in altitude, and that we were not far from the sea. For six miles we continued in this N.W. direction, meeting with the usual travelling ground, shingle reaches with backwaters and quicksands ; the forest now beginning to be encumbered with supplejacks, and sometimes mountain sides covered with largo blocks of rock, which, as they were very steep, and the whole vegetation interlaced with supplejacks, gave us at times hard work. We reached at last a spot where the riverbed extended in width and where a large tributary, which I named the Thomas, entered from the N.E., and the valley of which divided the coast range from the higher mountains inland.

On February 18th, while crossing the last spur which extended from the coast range into the river, we were at last rejoiced to observe the sea horizon over a large plain covered with dense forest, in which small conical hills, only a few hundred feet high, rose, and with renewed ardour we continued our journey ; but we did not anticipate that still a very arduous task lay before us. From this point we were about six miles distant from the sea, the distance from the confluence of the river Thomas to the mouth of the main river being ten and a-half miles, with a N.W. by N. course. The river bed, which up to the crossing of this last spur, had offered us between the mountains occasional shingle reaches, dry water courses, open scrub, and comparatively good forest travelling, set now against its northern bank, continuing so to its very mouth. As it was impossible to travel along its banks, we had to keep entirely to the forest, which now became almost impracticable; at many spots large " kahikatea" swamps occurred with the usual accompaniment of " kiekie," high fern, and a network of supplejack ; at other places the forest consisted of fine rimu trees, but without losing its character of West Coast density, which defies description. It occupied us nearly two days to toil and cut our way through this region, till we arrived at a point where the river divided into two branches, of which one running in the above named direction, after a course of a mile falls into the sea; whilst the other, the northern one, the right bank of which was still clothed with forest of the same description, found its exit one and a-half miles north of the former. Observing here a good ford of about two hundred yards in width over the northern branch, we crossed to the island, and soon stood in the surf' giving three hearty cheers. ' It may be now well to offer a few remarks on the appearance of Jackson's Bay. Without doubt the river at the mouth of which we were standing is sometimes called the Awarua, although the southwest boundary river of our province bears the same name ; but in order to fix its position better, I may observe that the most northern point, about seventeen miles distant, bears N. 30° E.* (probably Ar I nott's point.) From here to S. 39° W., a distance of about thiry-five miles, an extensive plain stretches from the sea to the base of the coast ranges, con taming about eighty thousand acres of level 'land the whole as far as I could observe covered with' dense forests, in which rimu (red pine) and kahikatea (white pine) are the prevailing trees. At the latter point, a large open valley comes from tne south, which with many other rivers has assisted to form this extensive plain, which, in fact, is only the large united delta of different rivers which here enter the sea.

Far to the south two other points were to be observed, of which the first, the termination of a mountain, bore S. 52" W., the other, a very distant one, more resembling a sloping table land, S. 54° W.* two rocky islands, the smaller and nearer one being about five miles distant, was lying S. 79° W from our position, whilst a larger one rising just above the sea horizon, bore S. 62° W. The coast range north of the river, about four thousand to five thousand feet high, resembling very much the " thirteen mile bush range, was nearly to the summit of the highest eminences covered with forest, whilst its continuation on the southern bank rose to an altitude of about six thousand to six thousand five hundred feet, equally clothed with forest to the usual height. As far as the eye could reach all the mountainswere covered with dense forest and nopeaks visible above six thousand five hundred feet high, except one single conical mountain, partly covered

* This and all the following bearings are magnetic.

with snow, whicli rose prominently S. 24° W. over the coast range. Another peculiar feature was a number of small conical hills which rose above the alluvial plains distant from any other mountains, and of which I have to speak more fully when treating of the geology of this part of the province. I may thus fairly state that with the exception of a small flat of eight hundred to one thousand acres near the head of the Makarora, and one of the same extent on the right bank of the Clarke, no grass land is anywhere to be found, fagus (black birch) forest on the mountains, mixed with pines in the lower regions, is the only covering of the country to an altitude of four thousand five hundred feet, but notwithstanding I think that in future years a large portion of it may be made available. Having only seen the southern mouth of the river, I cannot judge of the other entrance, but during our stay at the sea shore, the weather being extremely fine, a whaleboat or other small vessel could have easily crossed the bar, finding sufficient shelter in a small backwater on the south side, but it is very possible that the mouth of the north branch, which brings the larger amount of water to the sea, would probably offer a better entrance. The river is only for a short distance affected by the tides, its fall to the last half mile being still considerable. Being very short of provisions, we had to return immediately, and were so fortunate as to be still

favoured with fine weather, till we were two days journey from the Clarke, when the weather became again unsettled, so we travelled on with all speed, ci'ossed the Clarke just in time, found our small

provision depot in good order, and arrived at the junction of the Burke on the evening of February, the 25th. Showery weather had set in, which fortunately rose the rivers only slightly, so that although the crossing was often not without difficulty, and we had to travel continually in the rain, we arrived at

our starting point, the Makarora bush, on the evening of March 2, having been nearly six weeks absent.

The geology of the country traversed by me has proved to be exceedingly interesting, and, notwithstanding, I fear to extend the limits of this report to too great a length, I cannot omit to give a general outline of it.

In a former report which I had the honour to lay before you last October, I remarked that a zone of volcanic and eruptive rocks stretched almost without interruption from Timaru to the Kaikoras, surrounding Banks' Peninsula in our province, like the segment of a circle. After many observations which I was able to make during this journey, I may now state that the sedementary rocks west of this" zone, strike generally in its direction; and that the further the observer recedes from the zone, the more the rocks become metamorphic. Whilst the metamorphic rocks in the Otago province generally dip at a low angle, we find that as soon as we approach the volcanic region in our province, that they become more elevated. Whilst at the mouth of the Maka-

rora on its eastern side, metamorphic rocks are still to be found, which strike nearly N. and S., with a dip of 71° towards E., ten miles higher up the river true old clay states and sandstones make their appearance, which have not been at all affected by plutonic action. For a long time the strata, consisting of the same sandstones and slates, run parallel with the rent or fissure, varying in their strike between N. and S., and N.N.E. to S.S.W. with a dip of 61° to 82° generally towards E.. although western dips occur also. East of the fissure in Mount Brewster, we meet only sandstones and slates, flagstones and pebble beds, while on the western side, opposite this enormous mountain, the rocks have already a much greater metamorphic appearance, being very micacious, with numerous quartz layers between them, and intersected by a great many quartz veins. If it were not over precipitate, I would pronounce my conviction that this remarkable rent, where the rocks at many spots are dissimilar on both sides, notwithstanding their equal strike and dip, has in a great measure been occasioned by a large eruptive zone, which runs on its western side parallel to it, at a distance of two or three miles. It consists of greenstones of great variety, traps witli a cryptocrystolline structure, diorites highly crystolliue, dioritic porphyries, with large crystals of white felspar (albite) and crystals of black hornblende and amygdaloids with very interesting crystals and concretions. They have broken through the stratified rocks, sending veins through them m all directions. At the contact the changes are highly instructive, fine fissile slates are changed into a black homogeneous rock, or they resemble some of the schaalsteins of the European continent. Sandstones have been changed into cherts of different colours, and all the rocks in the neighbourhood seem impregnated with feruginous matter. But I may also observe that the change in the great axis of the island, running probably parallel with the Southern Alps, will, without doubt, j)lay equally a great part in the formation of this fissure. East of this eruptive zone, which four miles below the junction of the Clarke with the Haast, strikes across to the northern bank, sedementary rocks have although metamorphic, not such a typical character, that we can name them real mica slate, gneiss, &c.; their structure is sometimes crystolline, although the former characteristics of sedementary rocks are not entirely effaced, but west of this eruptive zone, which forms the summit of some of the highest peaks S.W. of Mount Brewster, the strata begin to assume a real metamorphic appearance.

Dioritic slates are followed by very thin bedded mica slates, which, advancing west, become more and more crystolline, striking twelve miles from the sea from N.N.W. to S.S.E., and dipping alternately to both sides with an angle between 76° and 81°.

Advancing towards the coast, these micaschists change insensibly to true gneiss, which near the western termination of the coast range, proves to be a true gneiss-granite, almost vertical, but now invariably dipping to the east. When viewing first the isolated conical hills rising so conspicuously above the plains, I was reminded of similar hills in the Nelson province, on the plains of the river ' Grey,' rising there to a much greater altitude, and which consist of true granites. My examination has shown that these hills in the plains of Jackson's bay consist of the same rocks; one of these hills rising about 500 feet above the plain, near the river, three miles from the sea, and which I called ' Mosquitoe Hill,' (it well deserved the name) consists for the greater part of a beautiful white granite, with large crystals of white felspar (orthoclas) white quartz and black mica. At other places, the mica is replaced by magnificent well formed crystals of black hornblende. I observed also zones where besides black mica, white mica in large concretions occurs. Another granite, without doubt of younger origin, passes through that first described in large veins, being finely grained, and of a black and white colour; both again are intersected by veins of beautiful crystalline quartz. There is not the least doubt that this granitic zone has greatly assisted in the metamorphism and upheaval of the rocks on the western side of our province, and I am happy to see that some former conclusions to which I arrived by induction have thus been verified.

Till at present I have not spoken of any indications of gold, and what may be auriferous rocks. Here again the structure of our province diifers entirely from that of our more fortunate southern neighbour, the large volcanic zone having influenced the structure of its more immediate neighbourhood.

I may, notwithstanding, state that there is not the least doubt that a very large portion of our west coast ranges will prove to be auriferous, although resembling more the Nelson mountains on its western part, and in which ultimately rich gold fields will be discovered. We were unfortunately detained so long by rain in the gorges, that our provisions were sadly diminished, notwithstanding the greatest economy; and thus I was compelled to leave the mining tools behind, which we had carried with us so far. The main river after the junction of the Clarke, is a true shingle river, where it would be difficult to come to auriferous deposits, but many streams will prove to be auriferous; amongst others the Thomas, and many smaller ones. When in this region, we could not lose a single day to ascend one of these tributaries, every spare moment being fully occupied with surveying and geological examination. Should you think it advisable to have this western part of the province prospected, it would be necessary to send a vessel round from Lyttelton, with a good sized canoe, and a few Maories, so that provisions could be taken up the main rivers. We prospected

only at one spot before we re-crossed the saddle, viz., at the confluence of the Hurke. We devoted a few hours to it, and, notwithstanding, the spot was rather unfavourable, having to take our washing stuff from between loose stones in the river bed, we found in nearly every dish a few minute specs of gold, so that, technically speaking, the ' colour' was obtained. That the western tributaries of the Makarora and the Wilkin are auriferous, has since been proved by some parties of diggers, who, only through want of provisions, had to return; but starting in a few days to examine more closely this part of the province, I hope, soon, to report more satisfactorily on the subject.

The collection of geological specimens for our museum, has hitherto been very small, the roughness of the ground not allowing us to carry any quantity back with us; notwithstanding, I procured a set of complete, but very small specimens, showing the gradations from the granite and gneiss granite into the true graywacke rocks. In ' Botany,' actively assisted by Mr. W. Young, and one of my companions, Mr. K. Holmes, I have been able to collect many very interesting undescribed specimens, which will not only be valuable for completing more fully Dr. J. Hooker's admirable New Zealand ' Flora,' but will also offer a valuable addition to our own herbarium.

For the ' Zoological' department, I preserved several line specimens of the ' Strigops' (kakapo) not only for our own museum, but also for exchange with other collections. I was besides so fortunate as to obtain an Apterix (kiwi) of small size, which, I believe, will prove to be a new species.

Finally, allow me to acknowledge thankfully the zeal and the exertions of Mr. W. Young, who, with great perseverance and under manifold difficulties, conducted the topographical survey, and of every member of my party, everybody submitting cheerfully to the small rations, which the long continued wet weather compelled me to enforce, and without which it would have been impossible to obtain the desired result.

I have the honor, sir, to remain, Your most obedient servant, Julius Haast, Pii. D., &c., Provincial Geologist. To His Honor W. S. Moorhouse, Esq., Superintendent Province of Canterbury, New Zealand.