290 Tni/isactions. 



reach of the Clarence is enclosed by an encircling rim of Io\ver mountains, 

 2,500-4,000 ft. in height, and before reaching this point the river turns 

 abruptly to the south-east and breaks througli the north-eastern continua- 

 tion of the Looker-on Range in a rock-bound gorge nearly 4,000 ft. deep. 

 The Middle Clarence Valley is thus difficult of access, and can be entered 

 only by a number of passes through the surrounding mountains, of which 

 the most used are the Burnt Saddle (2,073 ft.), between Kekerangu and 

 Coverham, crossing the north-eastern rim of the valley ; the Mount Clear 

 Saddle (3,000 ft.), between Reserve Station and Quail Flat ; and the 

 Palmer Saddle (3,185 ft.), from the Conway River to the Palmer River, 

 the two latter passes lying in the south-western continuation of the 

 Looker-on Range. These saddles are traversed by pack-tracks uniting the 

 above-mentioned places, and there are similar tracks running the whole 

 length of the valley. Other less-used tracks enter from the Awatere Valley, 

 the tv.'o chief crossing the Tone Saddle (3.800 ft.) and the Barefells Pass 

 (4,250 ft.). It is possible also to reach the Middle Clarence from Hanmer 

 via JoUie's Pass and down the Clarence. 



The surface of the valley is rendered very diversified by the existence 

 of a large number of tributaries from each side, many of which enter the 

 main river by gorges some hundreds of feet in depth. Of these, ten on the 

 north-western side and six on the south-eastern side are large enough to 

 be dignified by the name of river, and there are numerous smaller streams. 

 The pack-track along the valley therefore takes on somewhat of the nature 

 of a huge switchback, often rising a height of 1,000 ft. between two 

 adjacent tributary rivers. The difficulty of access between different parts 

 of the valley is accentuated by the size and strength of the Clarence River, 

 which is not easily forded below the Bli^ff River. 



Being cut off from the prevailing rain-bearing winds by high mountain- 

 ranges the Middle Clarence Valley, like the neighbouring Awatere Valley, 

 has a low rainfall, 20-30 in. per annum, and in consec[uence rain forest is 

 absent throughout its whole extent. The lower slopes are covered with 

 tussock-grass or manuka thicket, while small areas of beech forest occupy 

 the gorges of many of the tributary streams at heights of about 2,000-5.000 ft. 

 The intermediate rocky slopes and gorges bear, when not too steep, a 

 profusion of flowering-shrubs, but there are large areas of bare rock 

 and of talus slopes (screes and sliingle-slips) which are almost destitute of 

 vegetation. 



The statement is frequently made that the higher peaks of the Kaikoura 

 and Looker-on Ranges are covered with permanent snow. As a matter of 

 fact, however, the higher peaks, though rising far above the estimated 

 snow-line for this latitude in New Zealand, are frequently free from snow 

 for several months in the year, except for a few days after a snowfall, and 

 in the early autumn only small patches of soft ice persist in the shady 

 hollows near the summit. The freedom from permanent snow must be 

 ascribed partly to the steepness of the slopes and, in the case of the 

 Kaikoura Range, partly also to the low rainfall during the summer. Owing 

 probably to this freedom from snow, alpine plants reach a much greater 

 height on the Kaikoura Range than in other mountains in New Zealand, 

 ancl Aston (1916) has recorded the presence of a species of Haastia at a 

 height of 8,500 ft. on Mount Tapuaenuku. 



Owing to its inaccessibility and the broken nature of the country the 

 Middle Clarence Valley has hitherto escaped close settlement, and is divided 

 up into a number of pastoral leaseholds, of which the largest is the Clarence 



