364 Transactions. — Geology. 



account of a tree which had fallen across the road. This re- 

 markable effect of the storm was only noticeable in the bottom 

 of the valley through which the road ran, as on either side on 

 the hills the trees seemed to have been blown irregularly, and 

 in different directions. 



To account for the regular disposition of the trees is not 

 difficult, when we remember that the evidence of the survivors 

 at the Wairoa shows that during the precipitation of the mud a 

 terrible storm was blowing in their direction, from the direction 

 of the valleys which lead down to the village from S.E. of W. 

 This wind would find its easiest passage through the bush up 

 the road which ran in the same direction in which it was 

 travelling, until the pressure became so great that the tall trees 

 abutting on the road, being unable to bear it, were precipitated 

 in the same plane. Further evidence as to this as a cause is 

 the precipitation of the mud on the trunks of the trees still left 

 standing, but only on the S.E. side; while what few leaves of 

 creepers are still left clinging to the trees are only noticeable on 

 the N.W. 



Advancing towards the Eotokakahi Lake, the mud deposits 

 on the hill sides appear to be more liquid, and have run 

 together, giving the hills a striped appearance. The steeper 

 angle, and rocky nature of the ground admitting less absorption 

 of the watery matter, is no doubt the cause of this, and will 

 have a serious effect in regard to the future stability of the 

 deposit. In the valley of the Wairoa the deposit is much 

 deeper, and where it has drifted up against fences or trees must 

 be from 5 to 7 feet ni depth. At the time of our visit, however, 

 Mr. Macrae's waggon was being dug out from where it had been 

 buried while standing on the road, and there the depth from the 

 surface of the deposit to the toj) of the old road was 2ft. Bin. 

 Through this deposit were mixed fragments and masses of rock, 

 much of it being scoria ; while in some of the roofs of the houses 

 were clearly discernible the holes which had been caused by the 

 force with which these stones had descended. In one instance, 

 we removed a stone which was still imbedded in the hole it had 

 produced. Here, again, the deposit piled on the sides of houses, 

 fences, and trees showed that the material must have been car- 

 ried with great force in a northerly direction. (On the edge of 

 the deposit in the direction of Ohinemutu it was interesting to 

 note the effect of the mud and stones which had been precipi 

 tated on the vegetation, notably on the strong leaves of the 

 tUjHiki, growing abundantly on the sides of the road. At first 

 the leaves were only bespattered with mud, further on tbcy 

 were perforated by the small stones, still further on the fleshy 

 portion had been beaten out, leaving only the midrib, while 

 beyond this not a vestige of a leaf had been left on any of the 

 bushes.) The bed of the Wairoa Stream was filled with mud, 



