Petkie. — Account of a Visit to Mount Hector. 291 



wholly undisturbed by man and the sheep and cattle that he 

 brings in his train. On the tops I saw no trace of the presence 

 of any animal alien to primitive Maoriland. Traces of pigs 

 were observed high up on the forest ridge, but even these were 

 scanty. This condition is likely to be maintained for some 

 years more, so that a thorough examination of the region can 

 most likely be carried out before the natural balance of vegeta- 

 tion, that has been established under long-prevailing conditions, 

 is seriously modified. Lying as the high range does almost 

 at the doors of the capital of the colony, this task should not 

 be impossible of accomplishment. 



Mount Hector is the culminating-point of an extensive 

 elevated plateau that forms the most southerly and probably 

 the widest part of the Tararua Range. Around it are to be 

 seen some thousands of acres of gently sloping ridges of alpine 

 grass or meadow land, singularly free from bog, though wet 

 depressions and wide shallow valleys are not uncommon. It 

 is most easily approached from the western side, by way of the 

 Otaki Valley. This valley, in its lower part, shows that a quite 

 recent elevation of this part of the range to a height of 60 ft. 

 to 80 ft. has taken place, for the river now flows along a narrow 

 precipitous gorge of that depth, hollowed cut in the bottom 

 of an older and much wider valley, the southern border of which 

 is deeply covered by fan-like delta deposits of debris carried 

 down by the small northward-flowing tributary streams and 

 brooks. The river must have flowed at a higher level for a 

 lengthened period, since it has, by meandering, eaten away 

 the high and steep sides of the valley to a general width of 

 nearly half a mile. At present the bottom of the river-gorge 

 has a steep slope, and the whole of its narrow bed is occupied 

 by sand and shingle banks, to the complete exclusion of vege- 

 tation. Had the slope been as great during the erosion of the 

 older and wider valley it is not easy to see how it could have 

 been excavated to its present width. The facts noted show 

 that a considerable elevation of the western part of the range 

 must have taken place in quite recent days. 



In the lower part of the Otaki Valley, as far as our party 

 followed it, few plants of special interest were observed, the 

 vegetation being that common to the valleys and foothills 

 of this part of the Wellington District. On the rocky banks, 

 however, were seen Carmichaelia odorata, in full flower and 

 deliriously scented ; Carmichaelia flagellijormis, in young fruit ; 

 a form of Olearia nitida with narrow-oblong leaves, like the 

 peculiar variety of that species occurring at the Karangahake 

 Gorge (Ohinemuri County), differing therefrom chiefly in the 

 colour of the tomentum on the under side of the leaves, which 



