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does not show any signs of stratification whatever but may 
rather be described as a promiscuous mixture. It is of a 
reddish-brown color which is more homogeneous and darker 
than that of the underlying mass. It exhibits very plainly 
its origin, mode of formation and age. “ That is to say it is of 
recent origin as well as dating back to a remote period his- 
torically speaking. Its thickness was observed, in different 
portions, to vary from three to twelve feet, but this fact, 
must not be considered as proving that itis not or has not 
been thicker in other parts of the Islands, from whence it ' 
might have been removed. Thus from the Northern 
Island, the Whuano was first removed and, in consequence, 
at that time it was quite denuded. 
Below this covering exists the larger portion of the Whuano 
proper, which differs from the outer crust by the greater’ 
minuteness of its particles, by its homogeneous _ struc- 
ture, and by its decided stratification. This stratifica- 
tion is so marked that even a superficial examination must 
convince every unprejudiced person that it is the product 
of sedimentary formation. It is made up of alternate white 
and yellow strata, varying in shade and thickness. All of 
these strata exhibit distinctly their inclination, or dip, which 
varies not only on the separate islands but in different parts 
of the same island. On the middle island, for example, 
the inclination, or dip of the strata in one part of it, does 
not amount to more than five degrees, while in another part 
it is eight degrees, and in a third, close to the first, fifteen’ 
degrees. 
Of still greater interest are the strata on the South 
Island, where the Whuano forms an elongated conical hill 
of over one hundred and twenty feet in height and whose 
greatest diameter is in a direction north and south. In 
taking away the Whuano from the South Island the northern 
extremity of the hill was first removed and thereafter the 
two lateral were cut off so, that at the time of his visit, the 
southern extremity of the hill still remained intact, while the 
main bulk of the Whuano on three sides was exposed to view, 
as was also the eastern and western portions of the base of 
