Weetman. — Notes on the Great Barrier Island. 81 



on the island, says, I think, that thin crater must originally 

 have been nearly a mile in diameter, although it is hard to 

 realise this at present, as it is very much worn down on its 

 southern and western sides. Large masses of the rock, 

 several tons in weight, and in some cases a pure white, have 

 become detached and have rolled down on to the spurs below, 

 and at a distazice present a very peculiar appearance, some of 

 the larger ones looking like tents spotted about, and others 

 like mobs of white cattle. 



About a mile and a half from the summit of Ahumata, and 

 in a direct line with Eakitu, or Arid Island, there is a hot 

 spring, which appears in a small stream running into the Kai- 

 toke Creek ; and about the same distance further on, and in the 

 same line, more hot springs are found, on the main branch of 

 the Kaitoke. As before mentioned, these springs are in a 

 direct line between Ahumata volcanic hill and Eakitu Island, 

 which lies about one mile and three-quarters in a north- 

 easterly direction from the Barrier, and wliich is also an ex- 

 tinct volcano. Why named Arid Island is not known, since 

 what soil there is on it is very fertile. The only piece of flat 

 land on tlie Barrier of any extent is situate on the east coast 

 and about midway, at a place named Owena. The flat is 

 about 200 acres in extent, and is bounded on the north by 

 the Owena Eiver. One settler and his family live there. 

 From there to Harautanga Bay, where one or two settlers- 

 live, is about three miles in a northerly direction ; and about 

 three miles and a half in a straight line, but nearly double 

 that distance by the track, the Whangapoua Eiver joins the 

 sea. Here two more settlers live. I believe there is another 

 north of this, at a place called Tapuwai. but I did not go there. 

 Then, on the western side, in Fitzroy Harbour and Port Aber- 

 crombie, there are ten more families scattered about the shore,, 

 making in all on the island about thirty-six hand fide settlers,. 

 all of whom, owing to the rough natm-e of the island, live 

 close to the sea. The whole population by the last census 

 amounted to about two hundred and twenty. 



Of the portion of the island hing north of a line running 

 from Karaka Bay, in Port Abercrombie, to Whangapoua, I 

 regret to say I know nothing personally, my duties not having 

 taken me there ; but I believe the formation, like that south 

 of Wliangaparapara Harbour, to be of volcanic origin, over- 

 lying the palaeozoic slates which form the central zone before 

 mentioned. 



On the western corner of the northern end of the island a 

 copper-mine was worked many years ago by an English com- 

 pany, but was abandoned, like many others, before it had 

 made anybody's fortune. There is, I believe, some talk of the 

 mine being reworked. 

 6 



