520 Proceedings. 
specimens from reefs in the district; of these only six had proved auriferous, varying 
from mere traces up to 13dwts. per ton of gold, the richest being from Wainuiomata, the 
same locality from which Mr. Crawford's specimen had come. In his former communica- 
tion he had warned prospectors against the solid quartz reefs which traverse the sand- 
stones and slate, as the gold at Makara and Terawiti appears to occur in jointed 
sandstones chiefly as dendritic films. 
4. “ Notice regarding the Occurrence of the Tidal Wave of 11th May, 
1877," by J. F. Martin, of the Bay of Islands; communicated by Capt. 
R. A. Edwin, R.N. 
ABSTRACT. 
Patriek MeAlister, of Manowara, in the Bay of Islands, tells me that he and his 
brother loaded a boat last night (Thursday, 10th May) and pulled her up on the bank of 
a creek for safety. On going to her at five o'clock this morning the creek and a mud-flat 
that extends some distance from the shore was found to be quite dry ; the tide, however, 
was a long distance above high water-mark. While waiting they heard a loud noise as 
of thunder and saw a large wave approaching, whereupon they ran towards the house 
calling upon the inmates to leave. The wave, however, reached the house as soon as 
they did, and surrounded it to the depth of about a foot. After this the water quickly 
subsided. 
No such event had been noticed at Russell, but Captain Farquhar, of the s.s. “Iona,” 
said he had a similar experience this morning, at Waitangi, on the opposite side of this 
bay. This morning he went ashore, the tide falling at the time. Soon after landing a 
large wave rushed in, and yess the bo, g and a sailor, who had gone to put her 
afloat, above high water-m 
Mr. Thomas Joyce, of pen reports extraordinary tides. 
About midday I observed the water at the wharf fall over four feet in ten minutes, 
and in about fifteen minutes afterwards it rose over six feet. The American whaler 
“ Gazelle,” at anchor in twenty feet of water, was speedily aground, and soundings 
showed only twelve feet of water alongside her. Several vessels at ebur were swinging 
with their bows in opposite directions, while others were revolving in a circle. 
There was nothing p" to note at high water, which occurred at 4 p.m., but at 
8 p.m. the tide was high again 
Maoris from some of the tiladi in the bay tell me that at about 5 p.m. the water 
rose over eight feet in as many minutes. It rushed in several times at intervals of about 
twenty minutes, and continued rising and falling rapidly until late in the evening. 
About the same hour Mr. Ford, of Russell, sem across the bay to a place called 
T and while there a huge wave suddenly both his boats = a paddock. The 
water then rose and fell rapidly several times, but not so high as be 
vo Charles Dane, of the schooner “ Elsinore,” from is. loading ground (Te 
Wharau), a branch of the bay, says that he noticed the tide ebb and flow seven times 
during the day. 
The general idea is that these disturbances resulted from a very heavy earthquake to 
the eastward 
The hatha also records that on Sunday, 23rd July, 1876, at 10 p.m., the tide rose at 
Russell four feet above high-water mark within twenty minutes, following a heavy N.E. 
gale. 
The President said he had observed this occurrence in Wellington harbour, and that 
. he believed Dr. Hector had taken observations of the rise and fall. Some years ago 2 
CE E r UR ERA MEHR NCHAL CREE a T SERES OSEE NON 
