480 Transactions. — Geology. 



and to the slippery nature of the bottom and sides. At this 

 point a muffled sound of fallmg water was heard, when it was 

 considered advisable to return, owing to the light of the lamp 

 failing. Daylight was reached after some trouble. The 

 passages vary from 4 ft. in diameter to about 10 ft. high and 

 6 ft. wide, and bear signs of channelling action. Stones 

 washed from the creek cover the floor in places, but do not 

 occur in the sides. 



Another passage not far distant from the above was also 

 explored, and was interesting as marking the course of an 

 earlier bed of the stream. It lies about 30 ft. from the present 

 bed, and is on a higher level. Its length before narrowing to- 

 a manhole in size is 50 paces, its depth roughly 8 ft., and 

 width 5 ft., the bottom overlaid with slippery mud. The 

 journey to the spot is sufficiently interesting in itself to repay 

 the trouble of the visit. Leaving Kumara, the Teremakau 

 Bridge is crossed, evidences of gold-workings being abundant; 

 then across the Greenstone by suspension bridge. Deep Creek 

 (four miles), a small canon said to be 70 ft. deep, is crossed. 

 Thence a mile and a half by bush track, full of interest to the 

 lover of scenery, brings one to the creek. 



Ten minutes' walk from the hotel at Greymouth brings one 

 to any one of three examples of the effect of w^ater percolating, 

 gathering into a stream, undermining the overlying strata, and 

 forming caves or crevices. There are others at hand also, in 

 one of which the celebrated West Coast chief Tainui, I am 

 told, is buried; but a description of the chief one will be 

 sufficient for illustration. This is situated on the far side 

 of the Eiver Grey from Greymouth, just where the old bridge 

 terminates. The entrance is about 20 ft. wide by 7 ft. high. 

 Much care is necessary in looking through this cave, as the 

 footing is unsafe, and a tumble of 20 ft. into a pool at the 

 bottom is an experience to be avoided. On the left after 

 entering is a passage descending to water-level, from which 

 there proceeded sounds resembling the sharp puffing of a loco- 

 motive. The main portion extends sixty paces ; after it is a 

 passage of some length, accessible, however, only to the small 

 boy. At different places shafts or passage-ways open into 

 the main cave. These bring water from the hilltop above, if 

 flax-seeds found on the sides of one tell any tale. Large blocks 

 of strata have fallen from the roof and in turn been worn 

 away and carried off as muddy water into the Grey River. 



A study of the formation of this cave is specially interest- 

 ing, enabling, as it does, an opinion to be formed of the action 

 by which the Grey Kiver evidently broke through the chain of 

 hills at Greymouth, forsaking the old channel, which, according 

 to authoritative opinion, discharged its waters at a point seven 

 miles distant. 



