Bell and Clarke. — Geological Reconnaissance of N orthernmost N .Z . 615 



(1,) The Tableland. — Tlie surface of the tableland consists of uplands 

 covered with, scanty scrub, and trenched by rather steep-sided, well-graded 

 valleys, often swampy. The valleys contain some standing bush, not 

 generally of very good quality. The land-surface is generally free from rock 

 outcrops, but along the sea-margin mural precipices rise in many places 

 abruptly from the water's edge. Further description of this feature will 

 be found in the account of the sea-coast. 



Near Cape Maria van Diemen, and thence southward towards Scott 

 Point, that portion of the tableland which borders on the sea is cloaked 

 with sand piled up by the prevailing westerly wands. In this part of the 

 area the sand seems to be advancing rapidly, and after every gale the changes 

 wrought by it in destroying vegetation, filling up hollows, and damming 

 streams to form small temporary lakes are very apparent. 



In Rahia Bay, where stratified Pleistocene sands and gravels, with peat- 

 beds, outcrop on the shore, a rather remarkable topography is exhibited, 

 resembling somewhat that of the Bad Lands of South Dakota. Here well- 

 sculptured clifis, with outstanding pillars of bizarre form, border the sea 

 and extend up the narrow valleys (Plate LIII, fig. 2). 



(2.) The low hills hordering the eastern seaboard form a practically even- 

 crested ridge, rising almost imperceptibly from the sea-shore on the east 

 and from the sand-waste on the west. Gentle undulations are, however, 

 apparent in places, and shallow valleys occur at frequent intervals. For- 

 merly — possibly before the advent of the Maoris — dense kauri forest covered 

 this part of the peninsula, but now a scant covering of scrub has replaced 

 the luxuriant vegetation. The sand is encroaching on this part also, and 

 producing the same effects as noted in the previous section. Doubtless 

 the particularly mild relief of this portion of the area is due in part to cloaking 

 by the sand. 



(3.) The sand country, which extends eastward from the broad, hard, 

 western Seventy-mile Beach, and, in smaller patches, inland from the eastern 

 sea-beach, consists of rolling sand-dunes of gentle gradient on the windward 

 side, but steep-sloped on the leeward side (Plate LIII, fig. 1). In the hollows 

 between the more or less parallel ridges of sandhills small ponds of water 

 occur. Ponds are also formed in the neighbourhood of the higher land where 

 the ever-moving sands have formed dams across the streams. As these 

 become filled with more wind-blown material, quicksands are formed, which 

 may be dangerous to the traveller. 



The Coast-line. 



The coast-Hne of the Aupouri Peninsula is one of gxeat variety, pre- 

 senting marked divergence in character between the places where soft 

 comparatively recent sedimentary strata occupy the coastal region, and 

 where the resistant igneous and older sedimentary rocks confront the ocean. 

 Along the western seaboard shifting sands alone appear, except at the ex- 

 treme north. Thus an almost straight shore-hne with a broad sand-beach, 

 and with sand-dunes extending inland, borders the sea. The shore-line 

 here, owing to the softness of the rocks, seems to have almost reached 

 maturity. 



The northern shore-line presents a series of gxavel- or sand-bordered 

 bays diversified by steep rock-precipices. The sunken stream-mouths 

 and the occasional islets and skerries ofi the coast testify that the shore- 

 line is recently depressed, and that it is consequently a young feature. That 

 it is not absolutely infantile is proved by the numerous cliffs cut in the 



