JUNE. 107 



narrow but deep outlet of the present river below Henley. 

 The Kaikorai and Tomahawk Lagoons were salt- or 

 brackish- water estuaries with the tide flowing into them ; 

 Hooper's Inlet, Wickliffe Bay, Purakanui Bay, Blueskin 

 Bay, and Waikouaiti River were deeper estuaries, more 

 like the present Otago Harbour, with sandbanks exposed 

 at low water and bars at their mouths. Probably the dry 

 sandy stretch at the bottom of Sandymoimt was a lagoon 

 like that of Tomahawk now. Otago Harbour was a noble 

 sheet of deep water in those days, its sandbanks of to-day 

 "full five fathoms deep," and its waters lapping up to 

 the foot of the hills in the North -East Valley and 

 Woodhaugh. Lastly, Otago Peninsula was an island cut 

 off from the mainland by one or more tidal channels from 

 which wide stretches of sea water and of swampy lagoons 

 extended up to the foot of the hills at Hillside, Cavershaui, 

 and Forbury, and all the higher ground was bush-covered 

 down to the water's edge. As the land slowly rose and the 

 rains of successive centuries washed the soil from the hills 

 to gradually fill up the shallower waters, littoral and 

 marsh plants crept along the newly-formed shores, and 

 gave lodgment to the sand which the troubled sea threw 

 up, as it continues to do still, and which every on-shore 

 wind blows landward. Thus by degrees the flats were 

 won from the sea and the estuaries became lagoons. 

 After all it does not reqxiire much imagination to realise 

 what changes this gradual upheaval of the coast has 

 brought about. The evidences of the fact are clear 

 enough, so that he who runs may read. 



Let us come down from our sandhill and ramble along 

 the sides of the lagoon. We shall probably get our feet 

 wet, but that is a matter of little importance in the pursuit 

 of knowledge, and wet feet never hurt people as long as 

 they keep moving. There are many things to look at and 

 muse upon things to the uninitiated eye which are 

 perhaps more curious than beautiful, but which to the 

 illuminati are full of meaning and beauty of their own. 



The side of the lagoon bordering the road is made up 

 with stones, and on and among these are to be found 



